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US automobile safety regulators have opened an probe into Tesla vehicles equipped with the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following several accidents.

Regulatory Body Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

The federal safety agency stated that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly seeking a recall of the vehicles if the authority determines they present a danger to road safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had received accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and moving in the wrong direction during lane switching while using the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD activated, “approached an junction with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the crossroads despite the red signal and was later involved in a crash with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

The agency reported that four accidents had caused injuries to occupants.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 reports and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, operating at an intersection with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stationary for the duration of a red light, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the correct light status in the car's display”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “did not provide alerts of the technology's planned actions as the car was coming to a red light”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

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

In October 2024, the agency started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in last year, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to take over at any time. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the presently active features do not render the vehicle 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 current implementations.