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US automobile safety regulators have commenced an examination into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations after multiple accidents.

Safety Agency Finds Traffic Law Violations

The federal safety agency announced that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to stay alert 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 recall of the cars if the authority determines they pose a risk to road safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The regulatory body stated it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars driving through red traffic lights and traveling in the wrong direction during lane switching while using the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla car, using full self-driving activated, “came to an junction with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the intersection despite the red light and was subsequently part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

The authority noted that four crashes had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 complaints and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, operating at an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red light, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and show the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

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

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, 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 2.4 million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for operation by a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to assume control at any moment. While these features are designed to improve over time, the presently active features do not render the car autonomous.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.