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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 after multiple accidents.

Regulatory Body Finds Safety Regulation Breaches

The NHTSA stated that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced car behavior that violated road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the first step before possibly requesting a recall of the cars if the authority concludes they present a danger to road safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The regulatory body stated it had received accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red traffic lights and moving against the incorrect way during lane changes while operating the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with full self-driving activated, “approached an junction with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the intersection despite the red signal and was subsequently part of a crash with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stationary for the entire time of a red light, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and show the proper traffic signal state in the car's display”.

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

Ongoing Official Examination

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

In late 2024, the authority began an investigation into over two million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.

Company's Official Stance

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

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