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US automobile safety regulators have opened an examination into Tesla vehicles featuring the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches following several collisions.

Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Breaches

The federal safety agency announced that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused vehicle behaviour that breached traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the first step before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the vehicles if the agency concludes they pose a risk to road safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The agency reported it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and moving in the wrong direction during lane changes while operating the system.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving engaged, “came to an junction with a red traffic signal, proceeded to travel into the crossroads despite the red signal and was later involved in a crash with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stopped for the duration of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the correct light status in the car's display”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “did not provide alerts of the technology's intended actions as the vehicle was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Official Examination

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

In October 2024, the authority began an inquiry into over two million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or airborne dust. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.

Company's Official Stance

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 take over at any moment. While these capabilities are engineered to become more capable, the presently active functions do not render the car self-driving.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.