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American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an examination into Tesla vehicles equipped with the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations after several collisions.

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had “induced car behavior that violated traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the first step before potentially requesting a recall of the cars if the authority concludes they pose a risk to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had documented accounts of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles running red lights and traveling against the incorrect way during lane switching while using the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD engaged, “came to an intersection with a red light, proceeded to drive into the intersection against the red signal and was later involved in a collision with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

The authority noted that four crashes had caused one or more injuries.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time 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”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “failed to give 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 sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for a year.

In late 2024, the agency began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of poor 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 “intended for operation by a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to take over at any time. While these capabilities are designed to improve over time, the presently active features do not make the car self-driving.”

Automated car systems continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.