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American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an investigation into Tesla cars featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations after multiple crashes.

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declared that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the first step before possibly requesting a recall of the cars if the agency determines they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The agency reported it had documented reports of nearly 3 million Tesla cars running red lights and moving against the wrong way during lane switching while using the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using FSD activated, “approached an junction with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the intersection despite the red signal and was later involved in a crash with other cars in the junction”.

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

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 complaints and one media report claiming that Tesla vehicles, driving through an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stationary for the duration of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and show the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “did not provide warnings of the technology's intended actions as the vehicle was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing 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 started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, in 2023, was deadly.

Company's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to take over at any time. While these capabilities are designed to become more capable, the presently active functions do not render the car self-driving.”

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