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American vehicle safety authorities have opened an probe into Tesla vehicles equipped with the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations after several collisions.

Regulatory Body Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the cars if the agency determines they present a danger to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had received accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and moving in the wrong direction during lane switching while operating the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, using FSD activated, “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the crossroads against the red signal and was later involved in a collision with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla cars, operating at an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stationary for the duration of a red light, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and show the proper light status in the vehicle interface”.

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

Continuing Official Examination

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

In October 2024, the agency started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, in 2023, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for use with a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to assume control at any time. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the presently active features do not render the car autonomous.”

Automated car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals possible issues with existing deployments.