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

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had caused car behavior that violated traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially requesting a recall of the vehicles if the authority determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The agency reported it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars driving through red traffic lights and traveling against the incorrect way during lane switching while using the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving activated, “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, proceeded to drive into the intersection against the red light and was later involved in a crash with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, operating at an intersection with FSD engaged, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red light, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the correct traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “failed to give alerts of the technology's planned behaviour as the vehicle was coming to a red light”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the authority started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars using FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or dust clouds. One such accident, in last year, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to take over at any time. While these features are engineered to improve over time, the currently enabled functions do not make the car self-driving.”

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