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American vehicle safety authorities have started an probe into Tesla cars featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations after numerous accidents.

Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Breaches

The NHTSA declared that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had “induced car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before potentially requesting a recall of the cars if the agency concludes they pose a risk to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

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

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD activated, “approached an junction with a red light, continued to drive into the crossroads despite the red light and was subsequently involved in a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

The agency noted that four accidents had caused injuries to occupants.

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 reports and one media report claiming that Tesla cars, operating at an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the duration of a red light, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and display the correct traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “did not provide warnings of the system's planned behaviour as the car was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

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

In October 2024, the agency began an inquiry into over two million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in situations of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in 2023, was deadly.

Company's Official Stance

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 ready to assume control at any time. While these features are designed to improve over time, the presently active features do not render the car self-driving.”

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