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American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an probe into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches after multiple crashes.

Regulatory Body Identifies Traffic Law Violations

The NHTSA declared that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially requesting a recall of the vehicles if the agency determines they present a danger to road safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The regulatory body stated it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles running red traffic lights and traveling against the incorrect direction during lane switching while operating the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD engaged, “came to an intersection with a red light, proceeded to drive into the crossroads despite the red signal and was later involved in a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the duration 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 claimed that FSD “did not provide warnings of the system's intended behaviour as the car was approaching a red light”.

Continuing Official Examination

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the authority began an inquiry into over two million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the 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 systems develop and real-world testing reveals possible issues with current implementations.