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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 following multiple collisions.

Regulatory Body Identifies Traffic Law Violations

The NHTSA stated that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires drivers to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that breached road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially requesting a recall of the vehicles if the agency determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

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

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD activated, “came to an intersection with a red light, continued to travel into the crossroads despite the red signal and was subsequently involved in a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the duration of a red light, 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 vehicle was coming to a red traffic signal”.

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 investigation into over two million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to assume control at any time. While these capabilities are engineered to become more capable, the presently active functions do not render the car self-driving.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals possible issues with current implementations.