🔗 Share this article

US automobile safety regulators have started an probe into Tesla cars featuring the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches after several crashes.

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

The NHTSA stated that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had caused car behavior that breached road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the first step before possibly requesting a recall of the vehicles if the agency concludes they pose a risk to road safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had received accounts of 2.88 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and traveling against the wrong way during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with full self-driving engaged, “came to an intersection with a red light, continued to travel into the crossroads despite the red light and was later part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper light status in the car's display”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “failed to give warnings of the system's planned actions as the car 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 started an investigation into over two million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One such accident, in 2023, was fatal.

Company's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for use with a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to assume control at any time. While these capabilities are designed to become more capable, the currently enabled features do not render the vehicle self-driving.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals possible issues with current implementations.