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US automobile safety regulators have commenced an examination into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches after multiple accidents.

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Violations

The federal safety agency announced that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the first step before possibly requesting a withdrawal of the cars if the authority concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The agency reported it had received accounts of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and moving in the incorrect way during lane changes while operating the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD activated, “came to an junction with a red traffic signal, proceeded to travel into the crossroads despite the red signal and was later part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

The agency noted that four crashes had resulted in one or more injuries.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one news account alleging that Tesla cars, operating at an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stationary for the entire time of a red light, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper light status in the vehicle interface”.

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

Ongoing Official Examination

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

In late 2024, the authority started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, 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 prepared to assume control at any time. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the presently active features do not render the vehicle self-driving.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals possible issues with existing deployments.