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US automobile safety regulators have started an probe into Tesla vehicles equipped with the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations after numerous crashes.

Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that violated traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents the first step before possibly requesting a recall of the cars if the authority determines they pose a risk to road safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had documented accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles driving through red traffic lights and traveling against the incorrect direction during lane changes while operating the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with full self-driving activated, “approached an junction with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the intersection despite the red signal and was subsequently part of a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one media report claiming that Tesla cars, operating at an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the duration of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and display the proper traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “failed to give alerts of the technology's planned actions as the car was approaching 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 a year.

In October 2024, the agency began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in situations of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, in 2023, was fatal.

Company's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for use with a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to assume control at any moment. While these features are designed to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not make the vehicle self-driving.”

Automated car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.