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US automobile safety regulators have opened an examination into Tesla cars featuring the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations following numerous crashes.

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

The NHTSA declared that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents the first step before possibly requesting a recall of the cars if the authority concludes they pose a risk to public safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had received accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red traffic lights and moving against the wrong way during lane changes while using the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using FSD activated, “came to an intersection with a red light, proceeded to drive into the crossroads against the red signal and was subsequently part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

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 active, “failed to remain stationary for the entire time of a red light, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “failed to give alerts of the technology's intended behaviour as the car was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

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 started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, was fatal.

Company's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for operation by a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to take over at any moment. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the presently active functions do not make the car self-driving.”

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