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American vehicle safety authorities have opened an investigation into Tesla cars equipped with the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations following numerous crashes.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The NHTSA announced that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced car behavior that violated road safety regulations”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly requesting a withdrawal of the vehicles if the authority determines they pose a risk to road safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The agency stated it had received accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars running red lights and moving against the incorrect direction during lane switching while operating the technology.

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

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD active, did not stay stopped for the duration of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and display the proper traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “failed to give warnings of the system's intended actions as the vehicle was approaching a red light”.

Ongoing Official Examination

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 began an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for operation by a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to take over at any moment. While these capabilities are engineered to improve over time, the presently active functions do not make the car autonomous.”

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