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US automobile safety regulators have started an probe into Tesla cars equipped with the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations after numerous crashes.

Regulatory Body Identifies Traffic Law Violations

The NHTSA declared that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the first step before possibly requesting a recall of the vehicles if the authority determines they pose a risk to road safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The regulatory body reported it had documented accounts of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and moving in the wrong direction during lane changes while operating the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using full self-driving engaged, “approached an junction with a red light, continued to drive into the crossroads despite the red light and was later part of a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

The agency reported that four crashes had caused one or more injuries.

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla cars, operating at an intersection with FSD engaged, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and display the proper light status in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “did not provide warnings 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 advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the authority began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or airborne dust. One such accident, in last year, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for operation by a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to assume control at any time. While these capabilities are designed to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not render the car self-driving.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals possible issues with existing deployments.