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

Regulatory Body Finds Safety Regulation Violations

The federal safety agency stated that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had caused car behavior that breached road safety regulations”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the vehicles if the authority determines they present a danger to road safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The agency stated it had received accounts of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles running red traffic lights and traveling in the incorrect way during lane switching while using the technology.

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

The agency noted that four accidents had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, operating at an junction with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper light status in the car's display”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “did not provide warnings of the system's planned behaviour as the car was approaching a red light”.

Ongoing Official Examination

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the agency began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in situations of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or airborne dust. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for operation by a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to take over at any moment. While these features are designed to become more capable, the presently active functions do not make the car self-driving.”

Automated car systems continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals possible issues with existing deployments.