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American vehicle safety authorities have started an investigation into Tesla cars equipped with the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches after several crashes.

Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Breaches

The federal safety agency stated that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially seeking a recall of the cars if the authority determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The agency reported it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and traveling in the wrong direction during lane changes while using the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using FSD activated, “came to an intersection with a red light, proceeded to drive into the intersection against the red light and was subsequently part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 reports and one media report alleging that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and display the proper light status in the car's display”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “failed to give alerts of the system's intended actions as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

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

In October 2024, the authority began an inquiry into over two million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, in last year, was fatal.

Company's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for use with a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to take over at any moment. While these capabilities are designed to improve over time, the currently enabled features do not make the car self-driving.”

Automated car systems continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.