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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 following several crashes.

Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Breaches

The federal safety agency declared that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had “induced vehicle behaviour that breached traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the agency determines they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had documented accounts of 2.88 million Tesla cars driving through red traffic lights and moving against the wrong way during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using FSD engaged, “came to an junction with a red traffic signal, proceeded to travel into the crossroads despite the red signal and was later part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

The agency noted that four accidents had resulted in one or more injuries.

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 reports and one media report claiming that Tesla vehicles, driving through an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and show the proper light status in the car's display”.

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

Continuing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the authority started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in 2023, was deadly.

Company'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 ready to assume control at any time. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the presently active features do not render the car self-driving.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals possible issues with existing deployments.