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American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an examination into Tesla cars featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following numerous crashes.

Safety Agency Finds Traffic Law Violations

The federal safety agency announced that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that breached road safety regulations”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents the first step before possibly seeking a recall of the vehicles if the agency concludes they present a danger to road safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles running red traffic lights and moving against the wrong way during lane switching while operating the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD activated, “approached an intersection with a red light, proceeded to drive into the crossroads against the red signal and was subsequently part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

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

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize 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 approaching a red light”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

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 began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.

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 capabilities are engineered to improve over time, the presently active features do not render the car self-driving.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with current implementations.