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

Regulatory Body Finds Safety Regulation Breaches

The federal safety agency declared that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had “induced car behavior that violated traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the agency concludes they pose a risk to road safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The agency stated it had received accounts of 2.88 million Tesla cars driving through red traffic lights and traveling against the wrong way during lane changes while operating the system.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving engaged, “approached an junction with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the crossroads despite the red light and was subsequently involved in a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla cars, driving through an intersection with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stationary for the entire time of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and display the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “failed to give warnings of the technology's intended behaviour as the vehicle was coming to a red light”.

Continuing Official Examination

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the agency started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in situations of poor visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.

Company's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for operation by a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to assume control at any time. While these capabilities are engineered to improve over time, the currently enabled functions do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

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