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American vehicle safety authorities have started an probe into Tesla vehicles equipped with the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches following numerous collisions.

Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Violations

The NHTSA announced that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had caused car behavior that violated road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly seeking a recall of the cars if the authority determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The agency reported it had received accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and moving in the wrong way during lane switching while operating the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD engaged, “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, proceeded to travel into the crossroads against the red signal and was subsequently involved in a crash with other cars in the junction”.

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one media report claiming that Tesla cars, operating at an junction with FSD active, did not stay stopped for the entire time of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and display the proper traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.

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

Continuing Official Examination

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

In late 2024, the authority started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in situations of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or airborne dust. One such accident, in 2023, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for operation by a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to take over at any moment. While these features are designed to improve over time, the presently active functions do not render the vehicle self-driving.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals possible issues with current implementations.