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American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an examination into Tesla vehicles featuring the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations after multiple crashes.

Regulatory Body Finds Safety Regulation Breaches

The federal safety agency announced that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had caused car behavior that violated road safety regulations”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before potentially seeking a withdrawal of the vehicles if the authority determines they pose a risk to road safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had received accounts 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 stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using FSD activated, “came to an junction with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the crossroads despite the red signal and was later involved in a collision with other cars in the junction”.

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and show the proper light status in the car's display”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “failed to give warnings of the system's intended actions as the vehicle 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 under investigation by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the authority started an inquiry into over two million Tesla vehicles using 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.

Company's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for operation by a completely alert 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 currently enabled functions do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with current implementations.