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American vehicle safety authorities have started an investigation into Tesla cars equipped with the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches following multiple crashes.

Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Violations

The NHTSA declared that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had “induced car behavior that violated traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the vehicles if the authority concludes they present a danger to road safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had documented reports of nearly 3 million Tesla cars running red lights and moving against the incorrect way during lane switching while operating the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla car, using full self-driving activated, “came to an intersection with a red light, continued to drive into the intersection against the red signal and was subsequently part of a crash with other cars in the junction”.

The authority noted that four accidents had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 complaints and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, driving through an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stopped for the entire time of a red light, 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 alerts of the system's planned behaviour as the vehicle was approaching a red light”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

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

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

Manufacturer's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates 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 moment. While these capabilities are engineered to improve over time, the currently enabled functions do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

Automated car systems continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with current implementations.