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American vehicle safety authorities have started an examination into Tesla vehicles equipped with the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations after several crashes.

Regulatory Body Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

The NHTSA announced that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before potentially seeking a recall of the vehicles if the authority concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The regulatory body stated it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red traffic lights and moving against the incorrect way during lane changes while using the system.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD engaged, “came to an junction with a red light, continued to drive into the crossroads despite the red light and was later part of a collision with other cars in the junction”.

The agency noted that four crashes had resulted in one or more injuries.

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the duration of a red light, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper light status in the vehicle interface”.

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

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

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

In October 2024, the agency began an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in last year, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for use with a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to take over at any moment. While these features are engineered to improve over time, the presently active functions do not render the car self-driving.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals possible issues with current implementations.