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

Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Violations

The NHTSA stated that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the vehicles if the agency determines they present a danger to road safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The agency stated it had documented reports of nearly 3 million Tesla cars running red lights and moving in the wrong way during lane switching while operating the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD activated, “approached an junction with a red light, proceeded to travel into the crossroads against the red signal and was later involved in a crash with other cars in the junction”.

The agency reported that four accidents had caused injuries to occupants.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the duration of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and show the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “did not provide alerts of the technology's intended behaviour as the car was approaching a red light”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the agency began an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One such accident, in 2023, was deadly.

Company's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for operation by a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to take over at any time. While these capabilities are designed to improve over time, the currently enabled functions do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals possible issues with existing deployments.