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US automobile safety regulators have started an probe into Tesla vehicles equipped with the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches after several crashes.

Safety Agency Finds Traffic Law Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced car behavior that violated traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the first step before potentially seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the agency concludes they pose a risk to road safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The regulatory body reported it had documented accounts of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red lights and moving against the wrong way during lane switching while operating the system.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with full self-driving engaged, “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the intersection against the red signal and was later involved in a crash with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, operating at an junction with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and show the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

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

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the authority began an investigation into over two million Tesla cars using FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, in 2023, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for use with a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to take over at any time. While these features are engineered to improve over time, the presently active features do not make the car autonomous.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals possible issues with current implementations.