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

Safety Agency Finds Traffic Law Breaches

The NHTSA declared that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to stay alert and intervene if needed, had “induced vehicle behaviour that breached road safety regulations”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the cars if the authority determines they present a danger to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had documented accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and moving against the wrong way during lane switching while operating the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving activated, “came to an junction with a red light, continued to travel into the intersection despite the red signal and was subsequently part of a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

The agency noted that four accidents had resulted in one or more injuries.

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 complaints and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, operating at an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stopped for the duration of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and display the correct light status in the car's display”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “failed to give warnings of the technology's planned behaviour as the car was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Official Examination

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

In late 2024, the authority began an investigation into over two million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for use with a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to take over at any time. While these capabilities are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled features do not render the vehicle autonomous.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.