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American vehicle safety authorities have started an investigation into Tesla cars featuring the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches after several collisions.

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

The federal safety agency announced that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly requesting a recall of the cars if the agency concludes they pose a risk to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The agency reported it had documented accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars running red traffic lights and traveling against the wrong direction during lane changes while using the system.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD engaged, “approached an junction with a red light, proceeded to travel into the intersection despite the red light and was later part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Further Issues Identified

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

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “failed to give warnings of the system's intended behaviour as the vehicle was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for a year.

In late 2024, the agency started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, fog or dust clouds. One such accident, in 2023, was fatal.

Company's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for operation by a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to take over at any time. While these features are designed to become more capable, the currently enabled features do not make the vehicle self-driving.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals possible issues with existing deployments.