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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 several crashes.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declared that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour 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 authority concludes they present a danger to road safety.

Concerning Case Findings

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

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving engaged, “approached an intersection with a red light, proceeded to drive into the intersection despite the red light and was subsequently involved in a collision with other cars in the junction”.

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

Additional Issues Identified

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

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

Continuing Official Examination

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

In October 2024, the authority began an investigation into over two million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, 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 take over at any moment. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

Automated car systems continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.