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US automobile safety regulators have opened an investigation into Tesla cars featuring the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches following numerous collisions.

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

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

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the first step before possibly requesting a recall of the vehicles if the agency determines they pose a risk to road safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had documented accounts of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red traffic lights and moving against the incorrect direction during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD activated, “approached an junction with a red light, proceeded to drive into the intersection against the red signal and was subsequently part of a collision with other cars in the junction”.

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

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one media report claiming that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD engaged, did not stay stationary for the duration of a red light, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and show the proper light status in the vehicle interface”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “did not provide alerts of the technology's intended behaviour as the vehicle was approaching a red light”.

Ongoing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the agency started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in last year, was deadly.

Company's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for use with a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to assume control at any moment. While these features are engineered to improve over time, the currently enabled features do not make the car autonomous.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals possible issues with existing deployments.