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US automobile safety regulators have started an examination into Tesla vehicles equipped with the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations after several collisions.

Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Violations

The NHTSA announced that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had “induced car behavior that violated traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the authority determines they present a danger to road safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had documented accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars running red lights and moving against the incorrect direction during lane changes while operating the system.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with full self-driving activated, “came to an junction with a red traffic signal, proceeded 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 resulted in one or more injuries.

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one media report claiming that Tesla cars, driving through an intersection with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stationary for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and show the proper traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “did not provide alerts of the technology's planned behaviour as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for a year.

In late 2024, the authority started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in 2023, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to assume control at any time. While these capabilities are designed to become more capable, the currently enabled features do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

Automated car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals possible issues with current implementations.