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US automobile safety regulators have commenced an investigation into Tesla cars featuring the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations following numerous collisions.

Safety Agency Finds Traffic Law Violations

The federal safety agency declared that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had “induced vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the cars if the agency determines they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The agency stated it had documented accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars running red traffic lights and moving in the wrong direction during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD engaged, “approached an junction with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the crossroads against the red light and was subsequently part of a crash with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 reports and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and display the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “failed to give warnings of the technology's intended behaviour as the vehicle was approaching a red light”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

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

In October 2024, the authority started an inquiry into over two million Tesla cars using FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for operation by a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to assume control at any moment. While these features are engineered to improve over time, the currently enabled features do not render the vehicle 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 current implementations.