🔗 Share this article

US automobile safety regulators have opened an examination into Tesla cars featuring the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches after numerous collisions.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The federal safety agency declared that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had “induced car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the first step before possibly seeking a recall of the cars if the agency concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The agency reported it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red lights and traveling in the wrong way during lane switching while operating the system.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using FSD engaged, “approached an junction with a red light, proceeded to travel into the intersection despite the red light and was subsequently part of a crash with other cars in the junction”.

The agency reported that four accidents had caused injuries to occupants.

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 reports and one media report alleging that Tesla cars, driving through an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stationary for the duration of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and show the correct light status in the car's display”.

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

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the agency started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, fog or dust clouds. One such accident, in last year, was fatal.

Company's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for use with a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to take over at any moment. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the presently active features do not render the vehicle autonomous.”

Automated car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals possible issues with current implementations.