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American vehicle safety authorities have opened an investigation into Tesla cars equipped with the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following multiple collisions.

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Violations

The federal safety agency declared that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had “induced vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents the first step before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the vehicles if the agency concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla cars running red traffic lights and traveling against the incorrect way during lane switching while using the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving engaged, “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, proceeded to travel into the intersection despite the red light and was subsequently part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

The agency noted that four crashes had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Additional Issues Identified

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

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “failed to give alerts of the technology's intended behaviour as the car was approaching a red light”.

Continuing Official Examination

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the authority began an inquiry into over two million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, was deadly.

Company's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for use with a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to take over at any moment. While these capabilities are designed to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with current implementations.