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American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an investigation into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following multiple accidents.

Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Violations

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

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the first step before possibly requesting a withdrawal of the cars if the agency determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The regulatory body stated it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and traveling against the incorrect direction during lane switching while operating the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla car, operating with full self-driving activated, “came to an junction with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the intersection despite the red signal and was later involved in a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 reports and one media report claiming that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stopped for the duration of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and display the correct traffic signal state in the car's display”.

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

Ongoing Official Examination

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

In late 2024, the agency started an investigation into over two million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for operation by a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to take over at any moment. While these features are engineered to improve over time, the presently active functions do not render the vehicle autonomous.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with current implementations.