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American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an probe into Tesla cars featuring the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations after multiple accidents.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The federal safety agency declared that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had “induced car behavior that violated road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the agency concludes they pose a risk to road safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars driving through red traffic lights and traveling against the wrong direction during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with full self-driving activated, “came to an junction with a red traffic signal, proceeded to drive into the crossroads against the red light and was later part of a collision with other cars in the junction”.

The authority reported that four accidents had caused one or more injuries.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, operating at an intersection with FSD engaged, did not stay stationary for the duration of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and show the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

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

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

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 agency started an investigation into over two million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.

Company's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for operation by a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to take over at any time. While these capabilities are designed to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not render the car autonomous.”

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