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US automobile safety regulators have opened an examination into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations after multiple crashes.

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had caused vehicle behaviour that breached road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly seeking a recall of the cars if the authority concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The agency stated it had documented reports of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and traveling in the incorrect direction during lane changes while using the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla car, using FSD activated, “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the intersection against the red signal and was subsequently involved in a crash with other cars in the intersection”.

The agency noted that four accidents had caused one or more injuries.

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla cars, driving through an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stopped for the duration of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper traffic signal state in the car's display”.

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

Ongoing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the agency started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for operation by a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to take over at any moment. While these capabilities are engineered to improve over time, the currently enabled features do not render the car self-driving.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals possible issues with current implementations.