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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 following several crashes.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had caused vehicle behaviour that breached traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before potentially seeking a withdrawal of the vehicles if the authority concludes they pose a risk to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The agency stated it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars driving through red traffic lights and moving against the incorrect direction during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving engaged, “came to an junction with a red light, continued to drive into the crossroads despite the red signal and was subsequently part of a crash with other cars in the intersection”.

The authority noted that four accidents had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 complaints and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, driving through an intersection 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 proper light status in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “did not provide alerts of the system's planned behaviour as the car was approaching a red light”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for a year.

In late 2024, the authority started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

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

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