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

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The NHTSA declared that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had “induced vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly requesting a withdrawal of the vehicles if the agency determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and moving against the wrong way during lane switching while using the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving activated, “came to an intersection with a red light, proceeded to drive into the crossroads against the red signal and was later involved in a collision with other cars in the junction”.

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

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 complaints and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, 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 did not properly recognize and show the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “did not provide warnings of the technology's intended actions as the vehicle was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

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

In October 2024, the agency started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One such accident, in 2023, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for use with a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to assume control at any time. While these capabilities are designed to improve over time, the currently enabled features do not render the vehicle self-driving.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals possible issues with existing deployments.