🔗 Share this article

American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an probe into Tesla vehicles equipped with the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches after several crashes.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The NHTSA declared that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before possibly seeking a recall of the cars if the agency concludes they pose a risk to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The regulatory body reported it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars driving through 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 vehicle, using FSD activated, “approached an junction with a red light, proceeded to travel into the crossroads against the red light and was subsequently involved in a crash with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stationary for the entire time 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 technology's planned actions as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

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

Manufacturer's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for operation by a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to take over at any moment. While these features are engineered to improve over time, the presently active functions do not make the car autonomous.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals possible issues with existing deployments.