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US automobile safety regulators have commenced an investigation into Tesla cars featuring the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches following multiple collisions.

Safety Agency Finds Traffic Law Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declared that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to stay alert and intervene if needed, had “induced car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the first step before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the cars if the authority concludes they present a danger to road safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The agency stated it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and traveling in the wrong way during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving activated, “came to an junction with a red light, proceeded to drive into the crossroads against the red light and was later part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

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

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 reports and one media report alleging that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stationary for the duration of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and show the correct traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “did not provide alerts of the system's planned actions as the car was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Official Examination

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year.

In late 2024, the authority began an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars using FSD after four documented crashes in situations of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One such accident, in last year, was fatal.

Company's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for operation by a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to take over at any time. While these features are designed to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

Automated car systems continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals possible issues with current implementations.