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American vehicle safety authorities have opened an examination into Tesla cars featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following numerous collisions.

Regulatory Body Finds Safety Regulation Violations

The NHTSA announced that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced car behavior that breached road safety regulations”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the first step before possibly requesting a recall of the vehicles if the agency determines they present a danger to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red lights and traveling against the incorrect direction during lane switching while operating the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using full self-driving activated, “came to an intersection with a red traffic signal, proceeded to drive into the intersection despite the red light and was subsequently involved in a collision with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

The agency reported that four accidents had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 reports and one media report claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD active, did not stay stopped for the duration of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and display the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “failed to give alerts of the technology's intended 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 late 2024, the agency started an investigation into over two million Tesla cars using FSD after four documented crashes in situations of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in 2023, was fatal.

Company's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for operation by a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to take over at any moment. While these capabilities are designed to become more capable, the presently active features do not render the vehicle autonomous.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals possible issues with current implementations.