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American vehicle safety authorities have opened an probe into Tesla vehicles equipped with the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following multiple accidents.

Safety Agency Finds Traffic Law Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declared that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before potentially seeking a recall of the cars if the agency concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The regulatory body reported it had received accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars running red traffic lights and traveling against the incorrect way during lane switching while operating the system.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla car, operating with full self-driving activated, “came to an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the intersection despite the red signal and was later part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, operating at an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stopped for the entire time of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and show the proper light status in the car's display”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “did not provide alerts of the technology's planned actions as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

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

In October 2024, the authority began an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, was fatal.

Company's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for operation by a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to take over at any time. While these capabilities are engineered to become more capable, the presently active features do not make the car autonomous.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with current implementations.