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American vehicle safety authorities have opened an examination into Tesla cars equipped with the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following several accidents.

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

The federal safety agency announced that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”.

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

Alarming Incident Reports

The agency reported it had documented reports of nearly 3 million Tesla cars running red traffic lights and traveling against the incorrect way during lane changes while operating the system.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using full self-driving engaged, “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the intersection despite the red light and was subsequently part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

The agency reported that four crashes had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, driving through an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stationary for the duration of a red light, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and display the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “did not provide alerts of the system's planned behaviour as the car was coming to 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 twelve months.

In late 2024, the agency began an inquiry into over two million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for operation by a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to assume control at any moment. While these features are engineered to improve over time, the currently enabled functions do not render the vehicle self-driving.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.