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American vehicle safety authorities have started an investigation into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches following several accidents.

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before potentially seeking a recall of the cars if the authority determines they pose a risk to road safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had received accounts of 2.88 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and traveling in the wrong way during lane switching while operating the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla car, using full self-driving activated, “approached an junction with a red light, continued to drive into the crossroads against the red light and was subsequently part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

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

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one media report claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the duration of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and display the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “did not provide warnings of the technology's intended actions as the vehicle was approaching a red light”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

The full self-driving system, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for a year.

In late 2024, the agency began an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or airborne dust. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to assume control at any moment. While these capabilities are designed to improve over time, the presently active features do not render the vehicle self-driving.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals possible issues with current implementations.