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US automobile safety regulators have commenced an investigation into Tesla vehicles featuring the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches after numerous accidents.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused vehicle behaviour that breached road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the agency determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The regulatory body reported it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles running red traffic lights and traveling in the wrong direction during lane changes while using the system.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla car, operating with full self-driving engaged, “came to an intersection with a red light, proceeded to travel into the crossroads against the red light and was subsequently involved in a collision with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

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

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an intersection with FSD engaged, did not stay stationary for the duration of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and show the proper light status in the car's display”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “failed to give alerts of the technology's planned behaviour as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the agency started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One such accident, in last year, was fatal.

Company's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for operation by a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to assume control at any time. While these features are engineered to improve over time, the currently enabled features do not render the car self-driving.”

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