🔗 Share this article

American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an investigation into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following multiple crashes.

Regulatory Body Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused car behavior that breached road safety regulations”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before possibly requesting a recall of the cars if the agency determines they present a danger to public safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The agency stated it had documented accounts of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red lights and moving in the wrong direction during lane switching while operating the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using full self-driving engaged, “came to an intersection with a red light, proceeded to drive into the crossroads against the red signal and was later part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the duration of a red light, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and show the correct light status in the car's display”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “did not provide alerts of the system's planned actions as the vehicle was coming to a red light”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year.

In late 2024, the authority began an investigation into over two million Tesla cars using FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or dust clouds. One such accident, in 2023, was fatal.

Company's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for use with a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to take over at any moment. While these capabilities are designed to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not make the vehicle self-driving.”

Automated car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.