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

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The federal safety agency stated that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had “induced vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents the first step before possibly requesting a recall of the vehicles if the agency determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The agency stated it had received accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars running red lights and moving against the incorrect way during lane changes while operating the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with full self-driving engaged, “came to an junction with a red light, continued to drive into the crossroads despite the red signal and was subsequently involved in a collision with other cars in the junction”.

The authority reported that four crashes had caused one or more injuries.

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 reports and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stopped for the duration of a red light, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and show the correct light status in the car's display”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “did not provide alerts of the system's intended behaviour as the car was approaching a red light”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

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

Manufacturer's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for use with 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 currently enabled functions do not make the car autonomous.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals possible issues with existing deployments.