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

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

The NHTSA stated that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”.

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

Alarming Incident Reports

The agency reported it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles running red lights and moving in the incorrect way during lane switching while operating the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using full self-driving engaged, “came to an junction with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the crossroads against the red light and was later part of a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 reports and one media report alleging that Tesla cars, operating at an intersection with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stationary for the duration of a red light, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and display the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “failed to give warnings of the technology's planned actions as the car was approaching a red light”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the authority began an investigation into over two million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in situations of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or airborne dust. One such accident, in last year, was fatal.

Company's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for operation by a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to take over at any moment. While these capabilities are designed to improve over time, the currently enabled features do not render the car autonomous.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.