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American vehicle safety authorities have started an examination into Tesla vehicles equipped with the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations following multiple accidents.

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Violations

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires motorists to stay alert and intervene if needed, had “induced vehicle behaviour that breached traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly requesting a withdrawal of the vehicles if the authority determines they present a danger to road safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The regulatory body stated it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red traffic lights and moving against the wrong way during lane changes while using the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with full self-driving engaged, “came to an intersection with a red traffic signal, proceeded to drive into the crossroads against the red light and was later part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

The authority noted that four accidents had caused injuries to occupants.

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, operating at an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and show the correct light status in the car's display”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “did not provide warnings of the system's intended behaviour as the car was approaching a red light”.

Ongoing 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 authority 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 of these collisions, in 2023, was fatal.

Company's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for use with a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to take over at any moment. While these features are designed to become more capable, the presently active features do not make the vehicle self-driving.”

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