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American vehicle safety authorities have opened an investigation into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations after numerous crashes.

Regulatory Body Finds Safety Regulation Breaches

The federal safety agency announced that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires drivers to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the first step before possibly seeking a recall of the vehicles if the agency concludes they pose a risk to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The agency stated it had received accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and traveling against the incorrect direction during lane changes while operating the system.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using FSD engaged, “approached an junction with a red light, proceeded to travel into the intersection despite the red light and was later involved in a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

The authority noted that four accidents had caused one or more injuries.

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla cars, operating at an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and display the correct light status in the car's display”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “failed to give warnings of the technology's intended behaviour as the vehicle was approaching a red light”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the agency began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, was fatal.

Company's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for use with a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to assume control at any moment. While these capabilities are designed to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.