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American vehicle safety authorities have opened an investigation into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations after numerous accidents.

Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Breaches

The NHTSA announced that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced car behavior that violated road safety regulations”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the first step before possibly seeking a recall of the cars if the authority determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The agency reported it had documented accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles driving through red traffic lights and traveling in the wrong way during lane switching while using the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, using FSD engaged, “approached an junction with a red light, continued to drive into the intersection despite the red signal and was later involved in a crash with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla cars, operating at an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and show the proper light status in the vehicle interface”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “failed to give alerts of the technology's planned behaviour as the vehicle was coming to a red light”.

Ongoing Official Examination

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

In October 2024, the agency started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in situations of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

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

Self-driving car systems continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.