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American vehicle safety authorities have started an probe into Tesla cars featuring the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations after numerous collisions.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The federal safety agency declared that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had “induced vehicle behaviour that breached road safety regulations”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially seeking a withdrawal of the vehicles if the agency concludes they pose a risk to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had received accounts of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and traveling in the incorrect way during lane changes while operating the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving engaged, “came to an intersection with a red traffic signal, proceeded to drive into the intersection despite the red light and was subsequently part of a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and show the correct light status in the car's display”.

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

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the agency began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, fog or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in last year, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for use with a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to assume control at any time. While these capabilities are engineered to improve over time, the presently active functions do not make the car self-driving.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with current implementations.