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US automobile safety regulators have opened an examination into Tesla vehicles equipped with the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following numerous crashes.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The federal safety agency declared that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had “induced car behavior that breached road safety regulations”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before possibly requesting a recall of the vehicles if the agency determines they pose a risk to road safety.

Alarming Case Findings

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

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, using FSD engaged, “came to an intersection with a red light, continued to travel into the intersection against the red signal and was subsequently part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

The authority noted that four crashes had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Further Issues Identified

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

Some complainants also stated that FSD “failed to give warnings of the system's planned actions as the vehicle was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Official Examination

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

In October 2024, the authority started an investigation into over two million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, fog or dust clouds. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for operation by a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to take over at any time. While these features are designed to become more capable, the presently active functions do not render the car self-driving.”

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