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American vehicle safety authorities have opened an probe into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches following several collisions.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The NHTSA announced that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the first step before possibly requesting a recall of the vehicles if the authority concludes they pose a risk to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The agency stated it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red traffic lights and moving in the incorrect direction during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using FSD engaged, “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, proceeded to travel into the crossroads despite the red light and was later involved in a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD engaged, “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 vehicle interface”.

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

Continuing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the authority began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in situations of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or dust clouds. One such accident, in 2023, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for use with a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to assume control at any moment. While these features are engineered to improve over time, the currently enabled features do not make the vehicle self-driving.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.