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US automobile safety regulators have opened an probe into Tesla vehicles featuring the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations following numerous accidents.

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declared that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before potentially requesting a recall of the vehicles if the authority concludes they pose a risk to road safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The regulatory body stated it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and traveling 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 full self-driving engaged, “came to an junction with a red light, continued to travel into the crossroads against the red light and was subsequently part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

The authority noted that four accidents had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, operating at an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “failed to give alerts of the system's intended actions as the car was coming to a red light”.

Continuing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the agency began an investigation into over two million Tesla cars using FSD after four documented crashes in situations of poor visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, was fatal.

Company's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended 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 capabilities are designed to become more capable, the currently enabled features do not render the car self-driving.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.