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US automobile safety regulators have opened an examination into Tesla cars featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following numerous crashes.

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The federal safety agency stated that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that breached road safety regulations”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the first step before potentially requesting a recall of the cars if the agency determines they pose a risk to road safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The agency reported it had received accounts of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and moving against the incorrect direction during lane changes while using the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, using FSD engaged, “came to an junction with a red light, continued to travel into the crossroads against the red light and was later part of a crash 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 claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stopped for the duration of a red light, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “failed to give warnings of the technology's planned actions as the car was approaching a red light”.

Continuing Official Examination

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 started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One such accident, in 2023, was fatal.

Company's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to take over at any moment. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled features do not render the car autonomous.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.