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US automobile safety regulators have opened an investigation into Tesla vehicles equipped with the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations following several crashes.

Regulatory Body Finds Safety Regulation Violations

The federal safety agency declared that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that breached traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially requesting a recall of the vehicles if the agency determines they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The agency stated it had received accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red traffic lights and moving against the wrong way during lane switching while operating the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using FSD engaged, “came to an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the intersection despite the red light and was subsequently involved in a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 complaints and one media report claiming that Tesla cars, driving through an intersection with FSD engaged, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper light status in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “failed to give alerts of the system's intended behaviour as the car was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Official Examination

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year.

In late 2024, the authority began an investigation into over two million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, 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 driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to assume control at any moment. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not render the vehicle self-driving.”

Automated car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.