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US automobile safety regulators have opened an probe into Tesla vehicles featuring the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations following several accidents.

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The NHTSA declared that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had “induced car behavior that violated road safety regulations”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly requesting a withdrawal of the vehicles if the agency determines they pose a risk to road safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The regulatory body stated it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles driving through red traffic lights and moving in the wrong direction during lane changes while operating the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla car, using full self-driving engaged, “came to an junction with a red light, proceeded to drive into the crossroads against the red light and was subsequently part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

The authority reported that four crashes had caused injuries to occupants.

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one media report claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction 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 correct traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “did not provide warnings of the technology's planned behaviour as the vehicle was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Official Examination

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, 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 documented crashes in conditions of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, mist 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 use with a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to take over at any moment. While these capabilities are engineered to improve over time, the currently enabled functions do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.