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

Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Violations

The federal safety agency stated that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the cars if the agency concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The agency stated it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and traveling in the incorrect direction during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD engaged, “approached an junction with a red light, continued to drive into the crossroads 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 resulted in injuries to occupants.

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, operating at an junction with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and display the correct light status in the car's display”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “failed to give alerts of the technology's planned behaviour 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 agency began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of poor visibility, such as sun glare, fog or dust clouds. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.

Company's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for use with a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to take over at any time. While these features are designed to improve over time, the presently active functions do not render the car self-driving.”

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