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US automobile safety regulators have started an probe into Tesla cars featuring the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations following several collisions.

Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Violations

The federal safety agency announced that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had “induced vehicle behaviour that breached traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the first step before possibly requesting a withdrawal of the vehicles if the authority concludes they present a danger to road safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The regulatory body stated it had received accounts of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles running red traffic lights and traveling against the wrong direction during lane switching while operating the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using FSD engaged, “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the intersection despite the red signal and was subsequently involved in a crash with other cars in the junction”.

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

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla cars, operating at an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stopped for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and display the correct traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.

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

Continuing Official Examination

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced 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 cars using FSD after four documented crashes in situations of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to take over at any moment. While these capabilities are designed to become more capable, the presently active functions do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.