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US automobile safety regulators have started an probe into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations after multiple crashes.

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Violations

The federal safety agency declared that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused vehicle behaviour that breached road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the first step before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the agency concludes they present a danger to road safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had documented accounts of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles running red traffic lights and traveling against the wrong direction during lane switching while operating the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD activated, “approached an intersection with a red light, continued to travel into the intersection despite the red light and was later part of a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and show the correct traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “failed to give warnings of the system's planned actions as the car was coming to a red traffic signal”.

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 late 2024, the authority began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in 2023, was deadly.

Company's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for operation by a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to assume control at any moment. While these capabilities are designed to improve over time, the currently enabled features do not make the car autonomous.”

Automated car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with current implementations.