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American vehicle safety authorities have opened an examination into Tesla cars featuring the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations after several collisions.

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to stay alert and intervene if needed, had “induced car behavior that violated road safety regulations”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the agency concludes they pose a risk to public safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The agency reported it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla cars running red traffic lights and traveling against the wrong direction during lane switching while using the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD activated, “came to an intersection with a red traffic signal, proceeded to drive into the intersection against the red light and was later part of a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, operating at an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the correct light status in the car's display”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “failed to give warnings of the system's intended actions as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Official Examination

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

In October 2024, the authority started an inquiry into over two million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for operation by a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to assume control at any time. While these capabilities are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not render the car self-driving.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals possible issues with existing deployments.