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American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an probe into Tesla vehicles featuring the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches after multiple crashes.

Safety Agency Finds Traffic Law Violations

The NHTSA declared that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents the first step before possibly seeking a recall of the cars if the authority determines they present a danger to road safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The agency reported it had received accounts of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and traveling against the incorrect way during lane switching while operating the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD engaged, “approached an intersection with a red light, continued to travel into the intersection despite the red light and was later part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 complaints and one media report claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an intersection with FSD engaged, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper light status in the car's display”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “failed to give warnings of the technology's planned actions as the car 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 twelve months.

In October 2024, the authority started an inquiry into over two million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or airborne dust. 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 completely alert driver, 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 functions do not render the car autonomous.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.