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US automobile safety regulators have started an examination into Tesla vehicles featuring the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations after several crashes.

Regulatory Body Finds Safety Regulation Violations

The federal safety agency announced that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that breached traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the vehicles if the authority determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The agency stated it had received accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and moving in the wrong direction during lane changes while operating the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla car, operating with full self-driving activated, “approached an junction with a red light, proceeded to travel into the crossroads despite the red signal and was subsequently part of a crash 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 identified 18 complaints and one media report claiming that Tesla cars, operating at an intersection with FSD engaged, did not stay stopped for the duration of a red light, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and display the proper light status in the vehicle interface”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “did not provide alerts of the technology's planned actions as the car was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing 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 cars using FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One such accident, in 2023, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

Tesla's website states 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 engineered to become more capable, the presently active functions do not make the car autonomous.”

Automated car systems continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.