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American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an probe into Tesla cars equipped with the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following numerous accidents.

Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Violations

The NHTSA stated that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused vehicle behaviour that breached road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before potentially seeking a recall of the vehicles if the authority concludes they pose a risk to road safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles driving through red traffic lights and moving against the incorrect way during lane switching while using the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla car, using full self-driving engaged, “came to an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the crossroads against the red signal and was subsequently involved in a crash with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

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

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stationary for the duration of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and show the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “failed to give alerts of the technology's intended behaviour as the car was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year.

In late 2024, the agency began an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in last year, was deadly.

Company's Stated Position

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

Self-driving car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.