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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 collisions.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The NHTSA declared that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires drivers to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the first step before possibly seeking a recall of the cars if the agency determines they present a danger to public safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The agency reported it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red lights and traveling in the incorrect direction during lane changes while using the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving activated, “came to an intersection with a red light, proceeded to travel into the intersection against the red signal and was subsequently involved in a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla cars, operating at an junction with FSD engaged, “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 car's display”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “failed to give warnings of the technology's intended behaviour as the vehicle was approaching 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 a year.

In late 2024, the authority started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in 2023, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

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

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.