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

Regulatory Body Finds Safety Regulation Violations

The federal safety agency stated that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused car behavior that violated traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the cars if the agency determines they present a danger to road safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and traveling against the incorrect direction during lane changes while operating the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD engaged, “came to an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the crossroads despite the red signal and was subsequently involved in a collision with other cars in the junction”.

The agency reported that four accidents had caused one or more injuries.

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one media report claiming that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD engaged, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red light, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and display the correct traffic signal state in the car's display”.

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

Continuing Official Examination

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

In late 2024, the authority began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for operation by a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to assume control at any time. While these capabilities are designed to improve over time, the currently enabled features do not render the vehicle 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.