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US automobile safety regulators have commenced an examination into Tesla cars equipped with the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations after numerous collisions.

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The federal safety agency announced that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had “induced car behavior that violated traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before potentially seeking a recall of the cars if the authority determines they present a danger to road safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The agency reported it had documented reports of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red traffic lights and moving against the incorrect way during lane changes while using the system.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with full self-driving activated, “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the crossroads against the red signal and was subsequently part of a crash with other cars in the intersection”.

The authority noted that four crashes had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and show the proper light status in the car's display”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “failed to give warnings of the system's intended behaviour as the car was approaching a red light”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

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

In late 2024, the authority started an inquiry into over two million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations 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 completely alert driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to take over at any time. While these capabilities are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not render the car autonomous.”

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