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American vehicle safety authorities have started an examination into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches after numerous crashes.

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Violations

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declared that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused car behavior that breached road safety regulations”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the first step before possibly requesting a recall of the cars if the authority determines they present a danger to road safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The regulatory body stated it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles running red lights and moving against the wrong direction during lane switching while using the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using FSD activated, “approached an intersection with a red light, proceeded to travel into the intersection against the red signal and was subsequently involved in a collision with other cars in the junction”.

The agency reported that four accidents had resulted in one or more injuries.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 reports and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an junction with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time 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 “did not provide alerts of the technology's planned actions as the vehicle was approaching a red light”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

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

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

Manufacturer's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for operation by a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to take over at any time. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the presently active functions do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

Automated car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals possible issues with existing deployments.