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American vehicle safety authorities have opened an investigation into Tesla cars featuring the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations after numerous accidents.

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declared that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that breached road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before potentially seeking a withdrawal of the vehicles if the agency determines they pose a risk to road safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had documented accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles running red traffic lights and moving in the incorrect direction during lane changes while using the technology.

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

The authority reported that four crashes had resulted in one or more injuries.

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla vehicles, operating at an intersection with FSD engaged, did not stay stopped for the entire time of a red light, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and show the proper light status in the car's display”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “did not provide alerts of the system's planned behaviour as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the authority started an investigation into over two million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for use with a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to take over at any time. While these capabilities are engineered to improve over time, the currently enabled features do not render the car autonomous.”

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