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American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an investigation into Tesla vehicles equipped with the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches following several accidents.

Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declared that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to stay alert and intervene if needed, had “induced car behavior that breached road safety regulations”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the first step before potentially seeking a recall of the vehicles if the agency concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had received accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and moving in the incorrect way during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using full self-driving engaged, “approached an junction with a red light, proceeded to drive into the intersection despite the red light and was subsequently part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, operating at an intersection with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stationary for the entire time of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and display the correct traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “did not provide warnings of the technology's intended actions as the vehicle was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the authority started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in last year, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates 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 engineered to become more capable, the presently active features do not render the car self-driving.”

Automated car systems continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.