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American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an examination into Tesla cars featuring the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations following several collisions.

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The NHTSA stated that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to stay alert and intervene if needed, had “induced vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the first step before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the authority determines they pose a risk to road safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The agency reported it had received accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles running red traffic lights and moving in the incorrect direction during lane changes while operating the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla car, using FSD activated, “came to an intersection with a red light, continued to travel into the intersection despite the red light and was subsequently part of a collision with other cars in the junction”.

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

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla cars, operating at an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red light, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.

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

Continuing Official Examination

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the agency began an inquiry into over two million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in 2023, was fatal.

Company's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for operation by a completely alert 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 currently enabled features do not make the car self-driving.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.