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US automobile safety regulators have started an investigation into Tesla cars equipped with the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations following several accidents.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The federal safety agency announced that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

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

Concerning Incident Reports

The regulatory body reported it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red traffic lights and traveling in the wrong direction during lane changes while operating the system.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, using FSD engaged, “came to an junction with a red light, continued to travel into the crossroads despite the red signal and was subsequently involved in a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and display the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “did not provide warnings of the system's planned actions as the car was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the agency began an inquiry into over two million Tesla vehicles 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.

Company's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for operation by a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to take over at any time. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not render the vehicle autonomous.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.