🔗 Share this article

US automobile safety regulators have commenced an probe into Tesla vehicles equipped with the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches after multiple crashes.

Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Violations

The NHTSA stated that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that breached road safety regulations”.

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

Alarming Incident Reports

The agency reported it had received accounts of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red lights and moving in the incorrect way during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD engaged, “came to an junction with a red light, proceeded to travel into the crossroads despite the red signal and was subsequently involved in a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

The agency reported that four accidents had resulted in one or more injuries.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, driving through an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stopped for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and show the correct traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “failed to give alerts of the technology's intended behaviour as the car was approaching a red light”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

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

In October 2024, the agency started an inquiry into over two million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, was fatal.

Company's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for use with a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to assume control at any time. While these capabilities are designed to improve over time, the currently enabled features do not render the vehicle self-driving.”

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