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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 after several crashes.

Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Violations

The NHTSA declared that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the vehicles if the authority concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The agency reported it had documented accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles running red traffic lights and moving in the wrong way during lane changes while using the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using FSD activated, “came to an intersection with a red light, proceeded to drive into the crossroads against the red signal and was subsequently involved in a collision with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stationary for the duration of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and show the correct light status in the car's display”.

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

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

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

In October 2024, the authority began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, fog or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in last year, 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 wheel and is prepared to take over at any moment. While these features are designed to become more capable, the presently active functions do not render the vehicle self-driving.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.