🔗 Share this article

US automobile safety regulators have commenced an probe into Tesla vehicles equipped with the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations after several accidents.

Safety Agency Finds Traffic Law Violations

The federal safety agency stated that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the cars if the authority determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The agency stated it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red traffic lights and traveling against the wrong direction during lane changes while using the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD engaged, “came to an intersection with a red light, continued to travel into the crossroads against the red signal and was subsequently part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 complaints and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stopped for the entire time of a red light, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and show the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “failed to give alerts of the system's planned behaviour as the car was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the authority began an investigation into over two million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.

Company's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for operation by a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to take over at any time. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the presently active functions do not make the car self-driving.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.