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US automobile safety regulators have opened an probe into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following numerous collisions.

Safety Agency Finds Traffic Law Violations

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

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

Concerning Incident Reports

The agency stated it had documented reports of nearly 3 million Tesla cars running red traffic lights and moving against the wrong way during lane switching while operating the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with full self-driving activated, “came to an intersection with a red light, proceeded to travel into the intersection against the red signal and was subsequently part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

The authority reported that four crashes had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one media report claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stationary for the duration of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and display the proper traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “did not provide warnings of the system's planned actions as the vehicle was approaching a red light”.

Continuing Official Examination

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the authority began an inquiry into over two million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.

Company's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for use with a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to take over at any moment. While these features are designed to improve over time, the presently active features do not render the vehicle self-driving.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals possible issues with existing deployments.