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US automobile safety regulators have commenced an investigation into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following multiple accidents.

Regulatory Body Finds Safety Regulation Violations

The federal safety agency announced that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had “induced car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly requesting a recall of the vehicles if the agency determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles running red lights and traveling against the incorrect way during lane changes while operating the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with full self-driving engaged, “came to an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the crossroads despite the red signal and was later part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, driving through an intersection with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and display the correct traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “failed to give alerts 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 sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the agency began an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of poor visibility, such as sun glare, fog or dust clouds. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.

Company'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 wheel and is prepared to take over at any moment. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not make the vehicle self-driving.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.