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American vehicle safety authorities have started an investigation into Tesla cars featuring the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations following several accidents.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The federal safety agency stated that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands drivers to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had “induced vehicle behaviour that breached road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before potentially seeking a recall of the cars if the agency determines they present a danger to road safety.

Alarming Case Findings

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

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD engaged, “came to an intersection with a red traffic signal, proceeded to travel into the crossroads against the red light and was subsequently part of a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, operating at an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stopped for the duration of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper light status in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “did not provide alerts of the system's planned behaviour as the vehicle was approaching a red light”.

Continuing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the authority began an inquiry into over two million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, fog or dust clouds. One such accident, in 2023, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

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

Automated vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals possible issues with existing deployments.