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American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an probe into Tesla cars equipped with the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations after several accidents.

Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Breaches

The federal safety agency announced that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires motorists to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that violated road safety regulations”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before potentially seeking a recall of the cars if the authority concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The agency stated it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars driving through red traffic lights and traveling in the wrong direction during lane changes while operating the system.

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

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 complaints and one media report claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and display the proper light status in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “did not provide warnings of the technology's planned actions as the vehicle was approaching a red light”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

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

In late 2024, the agency started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in situations of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or dust clouds. One such accident, in 2023, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to assume control at any moment. While these capabilities are designed to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not make the car self-driving.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals possible issues with existing deployments.