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US automobile safety regulators have started an examination into Tesla cars featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations after multiple crashes.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The federal safety agency declared that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before potentially seeking a recall of the vehicles if the authority determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles running red traffic lights and moving against the wrong direction during lane switching while operating the technology.

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

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, driving through an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and show the proper light status in the car's display”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “failed to give warnings 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 sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the authority began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, was fatal.

Company's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for use with a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to assume control at any moment. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the presently active features do not render the vehicle self-driving.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.