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American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an examination into Tesla cars featuring the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches after multiple crashes.

Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Violations

The federal safety agency declared that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires drivers to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had “induced vehicle behaviour that breached traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the cars if the authority concludes they pose a risk to public safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red traffic lights and moving in the wrong way during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD engaged, “approached an junction with a red light, continued to drive into the intersection despite the red light and was later part of a collision with other cars in the junction”.

The agency noted that four accidents had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 complaints and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stopped for the duration of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and show the proper light status in the car's display”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “did not provide alerts of the technology's intended actions as the car was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the agency started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or dust clouds. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.

Company's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for use with a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to take over at any time. While these capabilities are designed to improve over time, the currently enabled functions do not make the car autonomous.”

Automated car systems continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals possible issues with current implementations.