🔗 Share this article

American vehicle safety authorities have opened an investigation into Tesla vehicles equipped with the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches following numerous collisions.

Regulatory Body Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

The NHTSA announced that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly seeking a recall of the cars if the agency concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The regulatory body stated it had documented reports of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles driving through red traffic lights and traveling against the wrong way during lane switching while using the technology.

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

The authority noted that four accidents had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one media report alleging that Tesla cars, operating at an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stationary for the entire time of a red light, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and display the proper traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.

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

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the agency started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for use with a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to assume control at any moment. While these features are designed to improve over time, the presently active features do not make the car autonomous.”

Automated car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with current implementations.