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US automobile safety regulators have opened an probe into Tesla cars equipped with the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations following multiple crashes.

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to stay alert and intervene if needed, had “induced vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before possibly requesting a recall of the vehicles if the agency determines they present a danger to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The agency stated it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles running red traffic lights and moving against the incorrect way during lane changes while using the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with full self-driving activated, “came to an junction with a red light, continued to drive into the crossroads despite the red light and was subsequently involved in a crash with other cars in the junction”.

The agency reported that four accidents had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one media report claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stationary 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”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “did not provide warnings of the system's planned behaviour as the vehicle was approaching a red light”.

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 late 2024, the authority started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

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

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals possible issues with current implementations.