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US automobile safety regulators have opened an examination into Tesla vehicles equipped with the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations after numerous accidents.

Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Breaches

The federal safety agency announced that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced car behavior that violated traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before potentially seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the agency determines they present a danger to road safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles running red traffic lights and traveling against the wrong way during lane changes while operating the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with full self-driving engaged, “approached an intersection with a red light, continued to drive into the intersection against the red signal and was later part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

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

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 complaints and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stopped for the duration of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and show the correct traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “did not provide alerts of the technology's intended actions as the car was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Official Examination

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the agency began an investigation into over two million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.

Manufacturer'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 steering wheel and is prepared to take over at any time. While these capabilities are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled features do not render the vehicle self-driving.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals possible issues with existing deployments.