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

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The NHTSA declared that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had “induced vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially seeking a withdrawal of the vehicles if the agency determines they pose a risk to road safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The agency reported it had received accounts of 2.88 million Tesla cars driving through red traffic lights and traveling in the incorrect way during lane changes while operating the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla car, operating with full self-driving engaged, “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the crossroads against the red light and was later part of a collision with other cars in the junction”.

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

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the duration of a red light, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper traffic signal state in the car's display”.

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

Continuing Official Examination

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

In October 2024, the authority started an inquiry into over two million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One such accident, in 2023, was deadly.

Company's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for operation by a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to assume control at any time. While these capabilities are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not render the car self-driving.”

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