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American vehicle safety authorities have started an investigation into Tesla cars featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations after several collisions.

Regulatory Body Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

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

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before possibly requesting a withdrawal of the cars if the authority determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red traffic lights and moving against the wrong way during lane changes while operating the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD engaged, “came to an intersection with a red light, continued to travel into the intersection despite the red light and was later involved in a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

The authority reported that four accidents had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 reports and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an junction with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stopped for the duration of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and show the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “did not provide alerts of the system's planned actions as the car was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Official Examination

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the authority started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in situations of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in last year, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for use with a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to assume control at any time. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled features do not render the car self-driving.”

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