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American vehicle safety authorities have started an examination into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches following multiple crashes.

Regulatory Body Identifies Traffic Law Violations

The NHTSA announced that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the first step before potentially requesting a recall of the vehicles if the agency determines they present a danger to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had documented reports of nearly 3 million Tesla cars running red lights and traveling in the wrong way during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving activated, “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, proceeded to travel into the intersection despite the red light and was later part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

The agency reported that four accidents had resulted in one or more injuries.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and show the correct light status in the car's display”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “did not provide alerts of the system's intended behaviour as the car was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the agency started an investigation into over two million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, in last year, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for use with a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to assume control at any moment. While these features are designed to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not render the vehicle autonomous.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.