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American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an examination into Tesla cars featuring the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations following numerous collisions.

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The NHTSA announced that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires drivers to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had “induced vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the first step before potentially seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the authority concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The agency stated it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red lights and moving against the wrong way during lane changes while operating the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving engaged, “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, proceeded to drive into the intersection despite the red signal and was later involved in a crash with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

The authority reported that four accidents had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stationary for the entire time of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and display the proper traffic signal state in the car's display”.

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

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the agency started an investigation into over two million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in situations of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for use with a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to assume control at any moment. While these capabilities are designed to become more capable, the currently enabled features do not make the car autonomous.”

Automated car systems continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.