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

Regulatory Body Finds Safety Regulation Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the first step before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the vehicles if the authority concludes they present a danger to road safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had received accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles running red lights and moving against the incorrect direction during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using FSD engaged, “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the intersection against the red light and was later part of a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

The authority reported that four accidents had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla cars, driving through an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stationary for the duration 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 “failed to give alerts of the technology's planned actions as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the agency started an inquiry into over two million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for use with a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to assume control at any moment. While these features are designed to improve over time, the presently active functions do not render the vehicle self-driving.”

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