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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 following several accidents.

Regulatory Body Identifies Traffic Law Violations

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced vehicle behaviour that breached traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before possibly requesting a withdrawal of the vehicles if the agency concludes they pose a risk to public safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The regulatory body stated it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles running red lights and moving in the incorrect direction during lane switching while operating the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using FSD activated, “came to an intersection with a red traffic signal, proceeded to drive into the intersection against the red light and was subsequently part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red light, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and show the proper light status in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “did not provide warnings of the system's planned actions as the vehicle was coming to 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 a year.

In October 2024, the agency started an investigation into over two million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, fog or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in last year, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for use with a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to take over at any time. While these features are designed to improve over time, the presently active functions do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals possible issues with existing deployments.