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American vehicle safety authorities have started an examination into Tesla vehicles equipped with the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches following multiple crashes.

Regulatory Body Finds Safety Regulation Breaches

The federal safety agency announced that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to stay alert and intervene if needed, had “induced car behavior that violated road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before possibly requesting a withdrawal of the vehicles if the authority determines they present a danger to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles running red traffic lights and traveling in the incorrect way during lane switching while using the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using FSD engaged, “approached an junction with a red light, continued to drive into the intersection despite the red light and was subsequently part of a crash with other cars in the intersection”.

The agency noted that four crashes had resulted in one or more injuries.

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla cars, operating at an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stopped for the duration of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.

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

Continuing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, 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 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, was fatal.

Company's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for use with a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to assume control at any moment. While these features are designed to become more capable, the currently enabled features do not render the car self-driving.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with current implementations.