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US automobile safety regulators have started an examination into Tesla vehicles equipped with the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches following numerous accidents.

Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had “induced vehicle behaviour that breached road safety regulations”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the cars if the authority determines they present a danger to public safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The regulatory body reported it had received accounts of 2.88 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and traveling against the incorrect way during lane switching while operating the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla car, using FSD activated, “came to an junction with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the intersection despite the red light and was later involved in a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 reports and one media report claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red light, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and display the correct light status in the car's display”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “failed to give warnings of the technology's intended actions as the vehicle was coming to a red light”.

Ongoing Official Examination

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

In October 2024, the authority started an investigation into over two million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or dust clouds. One such accident, in 2023, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

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 take over at any time. While these capabilities are designed to become more capable, the currently enabled features do not render the vehicle autonomous.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals possible issues with current implementations.