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American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an probe into Tesla vehicles equipped with the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches after numerous collisions.

Regulatory Body Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declared that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires motorists to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that violated traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents the first step before potentially seeking a recall of the cars if the agency determines they present a danger to road safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The agency reported it had received accounts of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red traffic lights and traveling in the incorrect way during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with full self-driving activated, “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the crossroads despite the red signal and was subsequently involved in a crash with other cars in the junction”.

The authority reported that four crashes had caused one or more injuries.

Additional Safety Concerns

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

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

Continuing Official Examination

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

In October 2024, the authority started an investigation into over two million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.

Company's Official Stance

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

Self-driving car systems continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals possible issues with existing deployments.