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

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The federal safety agency declared that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that violated road safety regulations”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly seeking a recall of the cars if the agency determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The regulatory body reported it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red traffic lights and moving in the wrong direction during lane switching while using the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla car, using FSD engaged, “came to an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the crossroads against the red signal and was later involved in a crash with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

The agency noted that four accidents had resulted in one or more injuries.

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one media report claiming that Tesla vehicles, driving through an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stationary for the entire time of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and show the proper light status in the car's display”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “failed to give warnings of the system's planned behaviour as the vehicle was coming to a red light”.

Ongoing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the agency began an investigation into over two million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or airborne dust. One such accident, in last year, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for operation by a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to take over at any time. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

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