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US automobile safety regulators have opened an examination into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches after numerous crashes.

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

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

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the vehicles if the authority determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The agency reported it had received accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and moving in the wrong direction during lane changes while using the system.

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

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

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an intersection with FSD active, “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 traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “did not provide warnings of the technology's intended behaviour as the vehicle was coming to 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 twelve months.

In late 2024, the authority started an inquiry into over two million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or airborne dust. One such accident, in 2023, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for operation by a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to take over at any time. While these capabilities are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not render the vehicle autonomous.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.