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US automobile safety regulators have opened an examination into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches following numerous crashes.

Safety Agency Finds 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 car behavior that breached road safety regulations”.

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

Alarming Incident Reports

The regulatory body stated it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and traveling in the incorrect way during lane changes while operating the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD activated, “came to an junction with a red light, continued to travel into the intersection against the red signal and was later involved in a collision with other cars in the junction”.

The agency reported that four crashes had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla cars, driving through an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the duration of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and display the correct traffic signal state in the car's display”.

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

Ongoing Official Examination

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

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

Company's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to take over at any moment. While these features are designed to become more capable, the presently active features do not render the vehicle autonomous.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.