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

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

The NHTSA stated that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that violated road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before potentially seeking a withdrawal of the vehicles if the agency determines they pose a risk to road safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had documented accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles driving through red traffic lights and moving against the incorrect direction during lane switching while operating the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using FSD engaged, “came to an intersection with a red light, proceeded to drive into the intersection despite the red signal and was subsequently involved in a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 reports and one media report claiming that Tesla vehicles, driving through an junction with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper 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 traffic signal”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the authority started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One such accident, in 2023, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for operation by a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to assume control at any moment. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the presently active functions do not render the vehicle autonomous.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.