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US automobile safety regulators have opened an investigation into Tesla cars equipped with the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following numerous crashes.

Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Violations

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

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before possibly requesting a recall of the vehicles if the agency concludes they pose a risk to road safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had documented accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles running red traffic lights and traveling against the incorrect direction during lane changes while operating the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD activated, “came to an junction with a red light, proceeded to drive into the crossroads against the red light and was subsequently part of a crash with other cars in the junction”.

The agency reported that four accidents had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 reports and one media report claiming that Tesla cars, driving through an intersection with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stationary for the entire time of a red light, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and show the correct traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “failed to give alerts of the system's intended actions as the car was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Official Examination

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

In late 2024, the agency began an investigation into over two million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in 2023, was fatal.

Company's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for operation by a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to take over at any moment. While these capabilities are designed to become more capable, the presently active functions do not render the car self-driving.”

Automated car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals possible issues with current implementations.