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US automobile safety regulators have commenced an examination into Tesla cars equipped with the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches after multiple accidents.

Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Violations

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declared that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to remain attentive 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 seeking a withdrawal of the vehicles if the agency concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The agency stated it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and moving against the incorrect way during lane changes while operating the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with full self-driving activated, “approached an junction with a red light, proceeded to travel into the intersection despite the red signal and was later involved in a collision with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

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

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and display the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “did not provide alerts of the technology's planned actions as the vehicle was approaching a red light”.

Continuing Official Examination

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

In October 2024, the agency started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in situations of poor visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One such accident, in 2023, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

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 prepared to assume control at any moment. While these capabilities are designed to improve over time, the presently active features do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals possible issues with current implementations.