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American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an investigation into Tesla vehicles equipped with the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches following numerous accidents.

Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Breaches

The NHTSA declared that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents the first step before potentially seeking a withdrawal of the vehicles if the authority concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The agency stated it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and traveling against the wrong way during lane switching while using the system.

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

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, operating at an intersection with FSD engaged, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red light, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “failed to give warnings of the technology's planned actions as the vehicle was coming to a red light”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the agency started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, fog or dust clouds. One such accident, in 2023, was deadly.

Company's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for use with a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to take over at any moment. While these capabilities are engineered to improve over time, the presently active functions do not render the car autonomous.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.