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American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an investigation into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations after several accidents.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The federal safety agency stated that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the first step before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the agency determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

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

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, using FSD engaged, “approached an junction with a red traffic signal, proceeded to drive into the intersection despite the red signal and was later part of a collision with other cars in the junction”.

The agency reported that four accidents had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 reports and one media report claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stationary for the duration of a red light, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and show the correct traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “did not provide alerts of the technology's planned behaviour as the car was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for a year.

In late 2024, the authority started an investigation into over two million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in last year, 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 ready to assume control at any moment. While these capabilities are engineered to improve over time, the presently active features do not render the car self-driving.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.