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American vehicle safety authorities have opened an probe into Tesla vehicles equipped with the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches following multiple collisions.

Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Breaches

The federal safety agency stated that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced vehicle behaviour that breached road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before potentially seeking a withdrawal of the vehicles if the authority concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red traffic lights and moving in the incorrect direction during lane changes while operating the system.

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

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

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 reports and one media report alleging that Tesla cars, operating at an junction with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and show the proper light status in the vehicle interface”.

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

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

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 investigation into over two million Tesla cars using FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

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

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.