🔗 Share this article

American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an examination into Tesla vehicles equipped with the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches following numerous crashes.

Regulatory Body Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

The federal safety agency declared that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had caused car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the first step before possibly requesting a recall of the cars if the authority concludes they pose a risk to public safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and moving against the incorrect direction during lane changes while using the system.

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

The authority noted that four crashes had resulted in one or more injuries.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 reports and one media report claiming that Tesla cars, operating at an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stationary for the duration of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and show the correct traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “failed to give alerts of the system's planned behaviour as the car was coming to a red light”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the agency started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

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

Self-driving car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals possible issues with current implementations.