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US automobile safety regulators have opened an probe into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following several crashes.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The NHTSA announced that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had “induced car behavior that breached road safety regulations”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the vehicles if the authority concludes they pose a risk to road safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars driving through red traffic lights and moving in the wrong direction during lane changes while operating the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD activated, “approached an junction with a red traffic signal, proceeded to travel into the intersection against the red signal and was later part of a collision 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 identified 18 complaints and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay 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 car's display”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “did not provide warnings of the technology's planned actions as the vehicle was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the authority started an investigation into over two million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in situations of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, in 2023, was fatal.

Company's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for use with a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to assume control at any moment. While these capabilities are designed to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not make the car autonomous.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals possible issues with existing deployments.