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

Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Violations

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declared that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires motorists to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused vehicle behaviour that breached road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the authority determines they present a danger to road safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The agency stated it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and traveling against the wrong way during lane changes while using the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with full self-driving activated, “came to an intersection with a red light, continued to travel into the intersection against the red light and was subsequently involved in 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 stated it has identified 18 reports and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD engaged, did not stay stopped for the duration of a red light, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and show the correct traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “did not provide warnings of the system's planned behaviour as the car was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

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

In late 2024, the authority started an investigation into over two million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for operation by a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to assume control at any time. While these capabilities are engineered to become more capable, the presently active functions do not render the vehicle autonomous.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.