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American vehicle safety authorities have started an probe into Tesla vehicles featuring the full self-driving technology due to traffic-safety violations after numerous crashes.

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had “induced vehicle behaviour that breached traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before potentially seeking a recall of the cars if the agency determines they pose a risk to road safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles running red lights and moving against the incorrect way during lane switching while operating the system.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD engaged, “approached an junction with a red light, proceeded to drive into the crossroads against the red signal and was subsequently part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

The authority noted that four crashes had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an junction with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the duration of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and display the correct traffic signal state in the car's display”.

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

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the agency started an investigation into over two million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One such accident, in 2023, was deadly.

Company's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for use with a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to assume control at any moment. While these features are designed to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not make the vehicle self-driving.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.