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US automobile safety regulators have started an examination into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches after numerous collisions.

Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Violations

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

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the first step before possibly requesting a withdrawal of the vehicles if the authority concludes they pose a risk to road safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The regulatory body stated it had received accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars running red traffic lights and moving in the incorrect direction during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD engaged, “came to an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the intersection despite the red signal and was subsequently part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

The authority noted that four crashes had caused injuries to occupants.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stationary 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”.

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

Ongoing Official Examination

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the authority began an inquiry into over two million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.

Company's Official Stance

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

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with current implementations.