NHTSA identifies at least 80 times when Tesla’s FSD violated road rules

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sent a letter to Tesla (TSLA) this week saying it has opened a Preliminary Evaluation to investigate allegations that vehicles, manufactured by Tesla and operating with Full Self-Driving engaged, executed driving maneuvers that may constitute traffic safety violations, and to request certain information. “This investigation will assess the capability of FSD to accurately detect and appropriately respond to traffic signals, signs and lane markings, as well as its capability to provide adequate indications and warnings to the driver,” the letter reads. “The adequacy of the indications and warnings of the system’s intended driving responses includes consideration of whether they are, among other things, accurate, conspicuous and sufficiently timely such that a driver may safely supervise the automated driving task and intervene as necessary. This office has received 62 complaints and has identified 4 media reports and 14 reports submitted under Standing General Order 2021-01 (the “SGO”) that may relate to the alleged defect. The complaints and reports allege or involve one or more of several types of traffic violations including: proceeding or attempting to proceed into intersections against red traffic signals; entering opposing lanes of travel or attempting to enter roads with wrongway signs; and improper lane use within intersections, including proceeding straight through intersections from marked turn-only lanes and executing turns from marked through-only lanes.”