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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 several accidents.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The federal safety agency announced that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

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

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had received accounts of 2.88 million Tesla cars driving through red traffic lights and traveling in the incorrect way during lane switching while using the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, using FSD activated, “approached an junction with a red light, proceeded to drive into the intersection against the red light and was later involved in a collision with other cars in the junction”.

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

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 reports and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an junction with FSD active, did not stay stopped for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and show the proper light status in the car's display”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “failed to give warnings of the technology's intended behaviour as the vehicle was approaching a red light”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

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

In October 2024, the authority started an inquiry into over two million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four reported collisions 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

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 designed to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

Automated car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.