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American vehicle safety authorities have started an examination into Tesla vehicles featuring the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations following several collisions.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The federal safety agency announced that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that violated road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the first step before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the authority concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The agency stated it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and moving in the incorrect way during lane switching while using the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with full self-driving engaged, “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, proceeded to drive into the crossroads against the red light and was later part of a crash with other cars in the intersection”.

The agency reported that four accidents had caused injuries to occupants.

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla vehicles, operating at an intersection with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stationary for the entire time of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and display the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

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

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

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

In October 2024, the authority started an inquiry into over two million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, 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 “designed 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 make the vehicle autonomous.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals possible issues with current implementations.