🔗 Share this article

American vehicle safety authorities have started an probe into Tesla vehicles equipped with the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following numerous collisions.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced car behavior that breached road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the agency concludes they pose a risk to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had received accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red traffic lights and traveling in the wrong direction during lane changes while using the system.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with full self-driving engaged, “came to an junction with a red traffic signal, proceeded to travel into the intersection despite the red light and was subsequently part of a crash with other cars in the junction”.

The agency reported that four crashes had caused injuries to occupants.

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, operating at an intersection with FSD engaged, did not stay stopped for the entire time of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper light status in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “did not provide alerts of the system's intended actions as the vehicle was approaching a red light”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for a year.

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

Manufacturer's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for operation by a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to assume control at any time. While these features are designed to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not make the car autonomous.”

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.