🔗 Share this article

American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an examination into Tesla cars equipped with the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following several accidents.

Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Violations

The NHTSA announced that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before possibly requesting a withdrawal of the cars if the authority concludes they present a danger to road safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

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

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving activated, “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the crossroads despite the red light and was later part of a crash with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one media report claiming that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stopped for the entire time of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and show the proper light status in the car's display”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “did not provide alerts of the system's planned actions as the vehicle was approaching a red light”.

Ongoing 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 authority began an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One such accident, in 2023, was fatal.

Company's Official Stance

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

Automated car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals possible issues with existing deployments.