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American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an investigation into Tesla cars featuring the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches following numerous crashes.

Regulatory Body Finds Safety Regulation Violations

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declared that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused car behavior that breached road safety regulations”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the first step before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the vehicles if the agency concludes they pose a risk to public safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The agency reported it had documented accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and traveling against the incorrect way during lane switching while using the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD activated, “approached an junction with a red light, continued to travel into the intersection despite the red signal and was subsequently part of a crash with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 reports and one news account alleging that Tesla cars, driving through an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red light, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and show the proper light status in the car's display”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “failed to give warnings of the technology's planned actions as the car 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 being examined by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the authority started an inquiry into over two million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, in 2023, was fatal.

Company's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for use with a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to assume control at any time. While these features are engineered to improve over time, the presently active features do not render the vehicle autonomous.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.