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American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an investigation into Tesla cars equipped with the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches following multiple accidents.

Safety Agency Finds Traffic Law Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced car behavior that breached road safety regulations”.

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

Alarming Incident Reports

The regulatory body stated it had received accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles running red lights and moving in the wrong way during lane changes while operating the technology.

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

The authority reported that four crashes had caused injuries to occupants.

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla vehicles, operating at an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the duration of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and show the proper light status in the car's display”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “failed to give warnings of the system's planned actions as the car was approaching a red light”.

Ongoing Official Examination

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

In late 2024, the authority began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, was deadly.

Company's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to assume control at any time. While these features are designed to become more capable, the presently active features do not make the car self-driving.”

Automated car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals possible issues with existing deployments.