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

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Violations

The NHTSA stated that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the first step before possibly requesting a withdrawal of the vehicles if the agency concludes they present a danger to road safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The agency reported it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red lights and moving in the incorrect way during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD activated, “came to an junction with a red light, continued to travel into the intersection against the red signal and was subsequently involved in a crash with other cars in the junction”.

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

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an junction 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 correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “did not provide warnings of the technology's intended behaviour as the car was coming to a red light”.

Continuing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the agency began an inquiry into over two million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, was deadly.

Company's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for operation by a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to take over at any time. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled features do not make the car self-driving.”

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