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

Safety Agency Finds Traffic Law Violations

The federal safety agency announced that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to stay alert and intervene if needed, had “induced car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the authority determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The agency stated it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red traffic lights and traveling against 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 junction with a red light, proceeded to drive into the intersection against the red light and was subsequently involved in a crash with other cars in the junction”.

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

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 reports and one media report claiming that Tesla vehicles, driving through 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 show the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “failed to give alerts of the system's planned behaviour as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

The full self-driving system, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year.

In late 2024, the agency began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in 2023, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed 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 capabilities are engineered to become more capable, the presently active features do not render the car self-driving.”

Automated car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals possible issues with current implementations.