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US automobile safety regulators have commenced an investigation into Tesla cars equipped with the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches after multiple collisions.

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The federal safety agency declared that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires motorists to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had “induced vehicle behaviour that breached road safety regulations”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the first step before possibly seeking a recall of the cars if the agency determines they present a danger to road safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The agency stated it had documented accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and traveling in the wrong direction during lane changes while using the system.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using FSD activated, “approached an junction with a red light, proceeded to drive into the intersection against the red light and was later part of a crash with other cars in the intersection”.

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 media report alleging that Tesla cars, operating at an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stationary for the entire time of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “failed to give warnings of the technology's intended behaviour as the car was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Official Examination

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

In October 2024, the authority began an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, fog or dust clouds. 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 fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to assume control at any time. While these features are engineered to improve over time, the currently enabled functions do not render the vehicle autonomous.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.