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American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an probe into Tesla vehicles equipped with the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following multiple accidents.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The NHTSA declared that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused car behavior that violated road safety regulations”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the cars if the agency concludes they pose a risk to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The agency stated it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and traveling in the incorrect way during lane changes while operating the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with full self-driving activated, “came to an intersection with a red light, proceeded to travel into the crossroads despite the red light and was later part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

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

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, operating at an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stopped for the entire time of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “failed to give warnings of the system's planned behaviour as the vehicle was approaching a red light”.

Continuing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the agency started an inquiry into over two million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or airborne dust. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for operation by a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to assume control at any time. While these features are engineered to improve over time, the presently active functions do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.