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US automobile safety regulators have started an probe into Tesla cars equipped with the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations after several crashes.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The federal safety agency declared that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused vehicle behaviour that breached traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the first step before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the agency determines they present a danger to public safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The regulatory body reported it had documented accounts of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and traveling in the wrong way during lane switching while using the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, using FSD engaged, “came to an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the intersection against the red signal and was later part of a crash with other cars in the junction”.

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

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, driving through an junction with FSD active, did not stay stopped for the entire time 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”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “did not provide warnings of the system's intended behaviour as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the authority began an investigation into over two million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in last year, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for use with a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to assume control at any time. While these capabilities are designed to improve over time, the currently enabled functions do not render the vehicle autonomous.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals possible issues with existing deployments.