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US automobile safety regulators have commenced an probe into Tesla cars featuring the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations after multiple accidents.

Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Violations

The NHTSA declared that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that violated road safety regulations”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the first step before possibly requesting a recall of the vehicles if the authority concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The agency stated it had received accounts of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red lights and moving against the wrong direction during lane changes while using the system.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using full self-driving engaged, “approached an junction with a red traffic signal, proceeded to drive into the intersection against the red signal and was later involved in a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

The authority reported that four accidents had resulted in one or more injuries.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the duration of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and show the correct traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “did not provide warnings of the technology's intended actions as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the authority started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in 2023, was deadly.

Company's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for use with a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to take over at any moment. While these features are engineered to improve over time, the currently enabled features do not make the car self-driving.”

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