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US automobile safety regulators have started an probe into Tesla vehicles equipped with the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations following multiple accidents.

Safety Agency Finds Traffic Law Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declared that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that breached road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly requesting a recall of the vehicles if the authority determines they present a danger to public safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The regulatory body reported it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles running red traffic lights and moving in the wrong way during lane switching while using the system.

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

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one media report claiming that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stationary for the duration of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and show the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “failed to give alerts of the system's planned actions as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the authority started an investigation into over two million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One such accident, in 2023, was fatal.

Company's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for operation by a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to assume control at any time. While these capabilities are designed to improve over time, the presently active functions do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.