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American vehicle safety authorities have started an examination into Tesla cars equipped with the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches after several accidents.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The NHTSA stated that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands drivers to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that breached road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the first step before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the vehicles if the agency determines they present a danger to road safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The agency reported it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars driving through red traffic lights and traveling against the incorrect way during lane changes while using the system.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, using FSD activated, “came to an intersection with a red light, proceeded to travel into the intersection despite the red light and was subsequently involved in a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an intersection with FSD engaged, did not stay stopped for the duration of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and show the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “did not provide alerts of the system's planned behaviour as the car 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 under investigation by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the authority started an inquiry into over two million Tesla cars 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 last year, was deadly.

Company's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for operation by a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to assume control at any time. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not make the car autonomous.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with current implementations.