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

Regulatory Body Finds Safety Regulation Violations

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

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the authority determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The agency reported it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red traffic lights and traveling in the wrong way during lane switching while operating the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases 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 signal and was subsequently 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 announced it has found 18 reports and one media report claiming that Tesla cars, operating at an junction with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red light, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and display the correct light status in the car's display”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “did not provide warnings of the system's intended actions as the car was coming to a red light”.

Continuing Official Examination

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year.

In late 2024, the authority began an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or dust clouds. One such accident, in last year, was fatal.

Company's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for use with a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to assume control at any moment. While these capabilities are designed to become more capable, the presently active features do not make the car autonomous.”

Automated car systems continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals possible issues with current implementations.