🔗 Share this article

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

Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Violations

The federal safety agency declared that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused vehicle behaviour that breached traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before potentially seeking a recall of the vehicles if the authority determines they present a danger to public 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 direction during lane changes while operating the system.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with full self-driving activated, “approached an junction with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the intersection despite the red signal and was subsequently involved in a collision with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

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

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stationary for the duration of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and show the correct traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “failed to give warnings of the system's planned actions as the vehicle was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the agency began an inquiry into over two million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for operation by a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to take over at any time. While these features are engineered to improve over time, the currently enabled features do not render the vehicle self-driving.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals possible issues with existing deployments.