🔗 Share this article

US automobile safety regulators have commenced an investigation into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations after multiple accidents.

Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had caused vehicle behaviour that breached traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly requesting a recall of the vehicles if the agency concludes they present a danger to road safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

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

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving activated, “approached an junction with a red traffic signal, proceeded to travel into the intersection against the red light and was subsequently part of a crash with other cars in the junction”.

The authority noted that four crashes had resulted in one or more injuries.

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, operating at an intersection with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stationary for the entire time of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and show the proper traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “did not provide warnings of the system's planned behaviour as the car was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Continuing 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 inquiry into over two million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or airborne dust. One such accident, in 2023, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

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 time. While these capabilities are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not make the car self-driving.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.