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American vehicle safety authorities have opened an probe into Tesla vehicles featuring the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations following numerous collisions.

Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires drivers to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents the first step before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the cars if the agency determines they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The agency reported it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and traveling against the incorrect way during lane switching while using the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla car, operating with full self-driving engaged, “came to an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the crossroads despite the red light and was later involved in a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stopped for the duration of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and show the correct traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “did not provide warnings of the technology's planned actions as the car was coming to a red light”.

Continuing Official Examination

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

In late 2024, the agency started an inquiry into over two million Tesla cars using FSD after four documented crashes in situations of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in last year, was deadly.

Company's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for operation by a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to assume control at any moment. While these capabilities are designed to improve over time, the currently enabled functions do not make the vehicle self-driving.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals possible issues with current implementations.