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American vehicle safety authorities have opened an probe into Tesla vehicles equipped with the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations following multiple accidents.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The federal safety agency announced that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had “induced vehicle behaviour that breached traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the first step before possibly requesting a recall of the vehicles if the agency determines they present a danger to road safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The regulatory body reported it had received accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars running red lights and moving in the incorrect way during lane changes while operating the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using FSD activated, “came to an intersection with a red traffic signal, proceeded to travel into the crossroads against the red light and was subsequently part of a collision with other cars in the junction”.

The authority noted that four accidents had caused injuries to occupants.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one media report claiming that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and show the proper light status in the vehicle interface”.

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

Ongoing Official Examination

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the authority began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in situations of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in last year, was deadly.

Company's Stated Position

Tesla's website states 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 moment. While these capabilities are designed to improve over time, the presently active features do not render the vehicle self-driving.”

Automated car systems continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals possible issues with current implementations.