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American vehicle safety authorities have started an examination into Tesla vehicles equipped with the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches after multiple collisions.

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Violations

The federal safety agency announced that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the vehicles if the agency determines they present a danger to road safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The regulatory body stated it had documented accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and moving in the incorrect way during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD activated, “came to an intersection with a red traffic signal, proceeded to drive into the crossroads against the red light and was subsequently part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

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

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 complaints and one media report claiming that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and show the correct traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.

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

Ongoing Official Examination

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

In October 2024, the agency started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in situations of poor visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One such accident, in last year, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to assume control at any moment. While these features are engineered to improve over time, the presently active features do not render the car self-driving.”

Automated car systems continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.