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American vehicle safety authorities have opened an examination into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches after numerous accidents.

Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Violations

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly requesting a withdrawal of the cars if the authority concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The agency stated it had received accounts of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red lights and traveling in the incorrect direction during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla car, operating with full self-driving engaged, “came to an intersection with a red light, continued to travel into the intersection against the red light and was later involved in a crash with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

The authority noted that four crashes had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 reports and one news account alleging that Tesla cars, operating at an junction with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and display the proper light status in the car's display”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “did not provide warnings of the system's planned actions as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the authority started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in 2023, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for operation by a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to take over at any time. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not render the vehicle autonomous.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.