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American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an investigation into Tesla cars featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following multiple collisions.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declared that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced vehicle behaviour that breached road safety regulations”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially requesting a recall of the cars if the agency concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The agency stated it had documented accounts of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and traveling against the wrong way during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla car, operating with full self-driving engaged, “came to an junction with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the intersection despite the red light and was later part of a collision with other cars in the junction”.

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

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, driving through an junction with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the duration of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and show the proper light status in the vehicle interface”.

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

Continuing Official Examination

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

In late 2024, the agency started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or dust clouds. One such accident, in 2023, was deadly.

Company's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to take over at any time. While these capabilities are engineered to become more capable, the presently active functions do not make the car self-driving.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with current implementations.