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US automobile safety regulators have opened an investigation into Tesla cars equipped with the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations after numerous accidents.

Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Violations

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

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the cars if the authority concludes they present a danger to road safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had documented accounts of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red lights and moving in the incorrect way during lane changes while using the system.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD engaged, “came to an junction with a red light, continued to drive into the crossroads against the red signal and was later part of a collision with other cars in the junction”.

The agency reported that four crashes had caused one or more injuries.

Further Safety Concerns

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 entire time of a red light, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and show the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “failed to give warnings of the system's intended actions as the vehicle was approaching a red light”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

The full self-driving system, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year.

In late 2024, the agency began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of poor visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One such accident, in 2023, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for operation by a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to take over at any time. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the presently active features do not make the car autonomous.”

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