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US automobile safety regulators have started an examination into Tesla cars featuring the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches following multiple accidents.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The NHTSA stated that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to stay alert and intervene if needed, had “induced car behavior that violated traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before potentially seeking a recall of the cars if the agency concludes they pose a risk to road safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The agency stated it had documented accounts of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles running red lights and moving against the wrong direction during lane changes while using the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla car, using FSD activated, “came to an intersection with a red light, proceeded to travel into the intersection despite the red light and was later part of a crash with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla cars, operating at an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stationary for the duration of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and display the proper light status in the car's display”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “failed to give alerts of the technology's intended actions as the car was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the agency began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or dust clouds. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

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 take over at any time. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the presently active features do not render the car self-driving.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.