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American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an probe into Tesla cars featuring the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches after numerous accidents.

Regulatory Body Finds Safety Regulation Breaches

The federal safety agency stated that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had caused car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the cars if the agency concludes they present a danger to road safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The regulatory body stated it had documented accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and traveling in the wrong way during lane changes while using the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD activated, “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, proceeded to travel into the intersection despite the red signal and was later involved in a crash with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

The agency noted that four crashes had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stationary for the duration of a red light, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and display the proper light status in the car's display”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “failed to give warnings of the technology's planned actions as the car was approaching a red light”.

Continuing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the authority started an investigation into over two million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, in 2023, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for operation by a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to assume control at any time. While these features are designed to become more capable, the currently enabled features do not make the car autonomous.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals possible issues with existing deployments.