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US automobile safety regulators have started an examination into Tesla cars equipped with the autonomous driving system due to traffic-safety violations following several accidents.

Regulatory Body Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declared that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands drivers to stay alert and intervene if needed, had “induced car behavior that breached road safety regulations”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially requesting a recall of the vehicles if the agency concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The agency stated it had received accounts of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red lights and traveling against the wrong direction during lane changes while operating the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD activated, “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the intersection against the red signal and was subsequently involved in a collision with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

The agency reported that four crashes had resulted in one or more injuries.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 reports and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD engaged, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and show the proper traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “failed to give warnings of the technology's intended actions as the car was approaching a red light”.

Ongoing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the authority began an inquiry into over two million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, fog or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in 2023, was fatal.

Company's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for use with a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to take over at any moment. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the presently active features do not render the vehicle autonomous.”

Automated car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.