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US automobile safety regulators have started an investigation into Tesla cars featuring the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches after multiple accidents.

Safety Agency Finds Traffic Law Violations

The federal safety agency announced that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands drivers to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that violated traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the vehicles if the authority determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The agency stated it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles running red lights and moving in the wrong way during lane switching while using the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using full self-driving engaged, “came to an intersection with a red traffic signal, proceeded to travel into the crossroads against the red light and was subsequently part of a collision with other cars in the junction”.

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

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and display the proper light status in the car's display”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “failed to give alerts of the system's intended behaviour as the car was approaching a red light”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the agency began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, fog or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in 2023, was fatal.

Company's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for operation by a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to assume control at any time. While these capabilities are engineered to become more capable, the presently active features do not render the car self-driving.”

Automated car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.