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US automobile safety regulators have commenced an examination into Tesla vehicles equipped with the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations following multiple accidents.

Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Violations

The federal safety agency stated that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced car behavior that violated road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the first step before possibly seeking a recall of the vehicles if the authority determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The agency stated it had documented reports of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red traffic lights and traveling in the incorrect direction during lane switching while operating the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using FSD activated, “came to an junction with a red light, continued to travel into the crossroads against the red light and was later involved in a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

The authority noted that four crashes had caused injuries to occupants.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stationary for the duration of a red light, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and display the correct traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “failed to give alerts of the system's planned behaviour as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

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

In late 2024, the agency began an investigation into over two million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in situations of poor visibility, such as sun glare, fog or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in last year, was deadly.

Company's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for operation by a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to take over at any time. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals possible issues with existing deployments.