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US automobile safety regulators have started an examination into Tesla vehicles equipped with the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches following numerous collisions.

Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Breaches

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

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before potentially seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the authority determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The agency reported it had documented accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and traveling in the incorrect way during lane changes while operating the system.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using full self-driving activated, “came to an intersection with a red light, proceeded to travel into the intersection against the red signal and was subsequently part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an junction with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and show the proper traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “did not provide warnings of the system's intended behaviour as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the authority began an inquiry into over two million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in last year, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for operation by a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to take over at any moment. While these features are designed to become more capable, the presently active functions do not render the car self-driving.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals possible issues with existing deployments.