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US automobile safety regulators have commenced an examination into Tesla vehicles equipped with the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following numerous crashes.

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

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

Alarming Incident Reports

The regulatory body reported it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla cars running red lights and moving in the wrong direction during lane switching while using the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD activated, “approached an junction with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the intersection against the red light and was subsequently involved in a collision with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

The authority reported that four accidents had resulted in one or more injuries.

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an junction with FSD active, did not stay stopped for the duration of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and display the proper light status in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “did not provide warnings of the technology's planned behaviour as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the agency started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, in 2023, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for operation by a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to assume control at any time. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled features do not render the car self-driving.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals possible issues with current implementations.