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American vehicle safety authorities have started an investigation into Tesla vehicles equipped with the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches following multiple crashes.

Regulatory Body Finds Safety Regulation Violations

The NHTSA announced that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had “induced vehicle behaviour that breached traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before potentially requesting a recall of the vehicles if the authority determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The regulatory body reported it had documented accounts of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles running red lights and moving in the incorrect direction during lane switching while operating the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with full self-driving activated, “came to an junction with a red light, continued to travel into the crossroads despite the red light and was later part of a collision with other cars in the junction”.

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red light, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “failed to give alerts of the technology's intended behaviour as the vehicle was coming to a red light”.

Continuing Official Examination

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 began an inquiry into over two million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or dust clouds. One such accident, in 2023, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for operation by a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to take over at any moment. While these capabilities are engineered to improve over time, the currently enabled functions do not make the car self-driving.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.