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American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an investigation into Tesla vehicles equipped with the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations after multiple accidents.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The NHTSA stated that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the first step before possibly requesting a recall of the cars if the authority concludes they pose a risk to public safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had received accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and traveling in the incorrect way during lane switching while operating the system.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD engaged, “approached an junction with a red light, proceeded to travel into the crossroads against the red signal and was subsequently part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an junction with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and show the proper traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “failed to give alerts of the technology's planned actions as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Official Examination

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the authority started an inquiry into over two million Tesla cars 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 “intended for operation by a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to take over at any time. While these capabilities are engineered to become more capable, the presently active functions do not render the car autonomous.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.