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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 following several collisions.

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The federal safety agency announced that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had “induced vehicle behaviour that breached traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before potentially seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the authority concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The regulatory body stated it had received accounts of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red traffic lights and traveling in the wrong direction during lane changes while operating the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with full self-driving engaged, “came to an junction with a red light, proceeded to travel into the intersection despite the red signal and was subsequently part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one media report claiming that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and show the proper traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “failed to give warnings of the technology's planned behaviour as the vehicle was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the authority started an inquiry into over two million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in situations of poor visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to assume control at any time. While these capabilities are designed to improve over time, the currently enabled features do not make the car self-driving.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals possible issues with current implementations.