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

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The NHTSA stated that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

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

Concerning Incident Reports

The regulatory body stated it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and traveling against the incorrect direction during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla car, operating with full self-driving engaged, “came to an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the crossroads against the red signal and was subsequently part of a crash with other cars in the junction”.

The authority reported that four accidents had caused one or more injuries.

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one media report claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction 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 proper light status in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “failed to give warnings of the technology's planned actions as the vehicle was coming to a red light”.

Ongoing Official Examination

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

In late 2024, the authority started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

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

Automated car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals possible issues with current implementations.