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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 multiple crashes.

Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Violations

The federal safety agency declared that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires drivers to stay alert and intervene if needed, had “induced car behavior that violated road safety regulations”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before possibly requesting a withdrawal of the vehicles if the authority determines they pose a risk to road safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red traffic lights and traveling against the incorrect direction during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with full self-driving engaged, “approached an junction with a red light, proceeded to travel into the intersection despite the red signal and was later involved in a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one media report alleging that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD active, did not stay stopped for the duration of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and show the proper light status in the car's display”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “failed to give alerts of the technology's planned behaviour as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

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

Company's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for use with a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to take over at any time. While these capabilities are engineered to become more capable, the presently active functions do not render the vehicle self-driving.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals possible issues with current implementations.