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US automobile safety regulators have commenced an examination into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following multiple accidents.

Regulatory Body Identifies Traffic Law Violations

The federal safety agency announced that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had “induced car behavior that violated traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before possibly requesting a recall of the cars if the agency determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The agency stated it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red traffic lights and traveling against the wrong way during lane changes while using the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using full self-driving engaged, “approached an junction with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the crossroads despite the red signal and was subsequently involved in a crash with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one media report alleging that Tesla vehicles, operating at an intersection with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stopped 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 “did not provide warnings of the system's planned behaviour as the vehicle was coming to a red light”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

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 started an investigation into over two million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in situations of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to take over at any time. While these capabilities are designed to become more capable, the presently active features do not make the car autonomous.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals possible issues with current implementations.