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

Regulatory Body Finds Safety Regulation Breaches

The NHTSA stated that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that breached road safety regulations”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before possibly requesting a recall of the cars if the agency concludes they pose a risk to road safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had documented accounts of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red traffic lights and traveling against the incorrect way during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with full self-driving activated, “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, proceeded to travel into the intersection despite the red signal and was subsequently part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla cars, driving through an intersection with FSD engaged, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red light, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper light status in the vehicle interface”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “did not provide alerts of the technology's intended behaviour as the car was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

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

In late 2024, the authority began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in last year, was deadly.

Manufacturer'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 assume control at any time. While these capabilities are engineered to improve over time, the currently enabled features do not make the car self-driving.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals possible issues with existing deployments.