Tesla faces US probe over Full Self-Driving traffic violations

Tesla Inc faces an investigation by US safety regulators into its driver assistance system, focusing on its Full Self-Driving version, which is designed to eventually enable autonomous driving.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Thursday it was assessing whether the Austin, Texas-based electric vehicle company's FSD software performs driving manoeuvres that violate traffic laws, such as steering into oncoming lanes or driving through intersections against red lights.

The probe covers 58 incidents in which 23 people were injured but no fatalities occurred. In at least six reported cases, Tesla vehicles allegedly drove through red lights and caused accidents, several of them at the same intersection in Maryland, according to NHTSA.

Tesla allows selected drivers in the US to test its FSD system on public roads. Early users shared videos showing the software making serious errors that required human intervention to avoid crashes. Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk has said the software has improved substantially through updates.

The investigation will also examine how well FSD recognises traffic signals and road markings, and whether there was prior warning or adequate time for the driver to respond to the unexpected behaviour.

NHTSA has previously launched multiple probes into Tesla's standard Autopilot system