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American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an probe into Tesla vehicles equipped with the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following numerous collisions.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The NHTSA stated that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had “induced car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before potentially requesting a recall of the vehicles if the authority concludes they present a danger to road safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The regulatory body reported it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles running red traffic lights and traveling in the wrong direction during lane changes while operating the technology.

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

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and show the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “did not provide alerts of the system's planned actions as the car was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the authority began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars using 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 fatal.

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 prepared to assume control at any time. While these features are designed to improve over time, the presently active features do not render the vehicle self-driving.”

Automated car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.