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

Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Breaches

The federal safety agency stated that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had caused car behavior that breached road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before possibly seeking a recall of the vehicles if the agency concludes they present a danger to road safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and traveling in the incorrect way during lane switching while using the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla car, using FSD engaged, “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, proceeded to drive into the intersection against the red signal and was later involved in a collision with other cars in the junction”.

The agency reported that four crashes had caused injuries to occupants.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD engaged, did not stay stopped for the duration of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and show the correct traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “did not provide alerts of the system's intended actions as the car was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

The full self-driving system, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the authority started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.

Company's Official Stance

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 functions do not render the car self-driving.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.