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

Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Breaches

The federal safety agency announced that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before possibly seeking a recall of the cars if the authority concludes they present a danger to road safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The agency reported it had documented reports of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles driving through red traffic lights and traveling against the incorrect way during lane changes while using the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving activated, “came to an intersection with a red light, continued to travel into the intersection despite the red signal and was subsequently part of a collision with other cars in the junction”.

The authority noted that four accidents had caused one or more injuries.

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an junction with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the duration of a red light, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and show the proper light status in the car's display”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “did not provide alerts of the technology's planned behaviour as the car 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 being examined by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the authority began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars using FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for use with a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to take over at any moment. While these features are designed to improve over time, the currently enabled features do not make the vehicle self-driving.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals possible issues with existing deployments.