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

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The federal safety agency declared that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, 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 recall of the vehicles if the authority concludes they present a danger to road safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The agency stated it had documented reports of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles running red lights and traveling in the incorrect way during lane switching while operating the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using FSD activated, “came to an junction with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the intersection against the red light and was subsequently part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 complaints and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, driving through an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the duration of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and display the correct traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “failed to give warnings of the system's planned actions as the car was coming to a red light”.

Ongoing Official Examination

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year.

In late 2024, the authority began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or airborne dust. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.

Company's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for use with a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to take over at any time. While these capabilities are designed to improve over time, the presently active features do not make the car self-driving.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals possible issues with current implementations.