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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 after numerous crashes.

Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Violations

The federal safety agency announced that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced car behavior that violated traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before potentially requesting a recall of the cars if the agency determines they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The regulatory body stated it had documented accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red traffic lights and moving in the incorrect way during lane changes while operating the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using FSD activated, “came to an junction with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the intersection against the red signal and was subsequently involved in a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

The authority noted that four accidents had caused injuries to occupants.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 reports and one media report claiming that Tesla cars, driving through an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stopped for the duration of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and display the proper traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “failed to give alerts of the technology's intended actions as the car was coming to a red light”.

Ongoing Official Examination

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

In October 2024, the authority started an investigation into over two million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or airborne dust. One such accident, in 2023, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for operation by a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to take over at any moment. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not make the car autonomous.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with current implementations.