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

Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Breaches

The NHTSA announced that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that violated traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the vehicles if the authority concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The regulatory body reported it had documented accounts of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red lights and traveling in the incorrect direction during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving activated, “approached an intersection with a red light, proceeded to travel into the intersection against the red light and was later part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

The authority noted that four crashes had caused one or more injuries.

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla cars, operating at an junction with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stationary for the entire time of a red light, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and show the correct light status in the car's display”.

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

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the authority began an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, in last year, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for operation by a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to take over at any time. While these features are designed to improve over time, the presently active functions do not render the car autonomous.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.