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American vehicle safety authorities have started an investigation into Tesla cars featuring the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches following several accidents.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The NHTSA stated that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before potentially seeking a recall of the vehicles if the authority concludes they pose a risk to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The agency reported it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red traffic lights and traveling in the wrong way during lane switching while using the technology.

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

The authority noted that four crashes had caused one or more injuries.

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and show the proper light status in the car's display”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “did not provide alerts of the system's planned behaviour as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

The full self-driving system, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the agency began an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or airborne dust. One such accident, in 2023, was fatal.

Company's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for use with a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to take over at any moment. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled features do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

Automated car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals possible issues with current implementations.