🔗 Share this article

American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an probe into Tesla cars featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following multiple crashes.

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The NHTSA declared that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had “induced vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the vehicles if the authority determines they present a danger to road safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The agency stated it had documented accounts of 2.88 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and traveling in the wrong direction during lane changes while using the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD activated, “came to an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the crossroads against the red signal and was later involved in a crash with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 reports and one media report alleging that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD active, did not stay stopped for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and display the proper light status in the car's display”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “did not provide alerts of the system's planned behaviour as the car was coming to a red light”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the authority started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in last year, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for use with a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to assume control at any moment. While these capabilities are engineered to improve over time, the presently active features do not make the car self-driving.”

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.