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US automobile safety regulators have opened an investigation into Tesla cars equipped with the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches after multiple collisions.

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

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

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the first step before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the vehicles if the agency determines they present a danger to road safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and moving in the wrong direction during lane changes while using the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD engaged, “came to an junction with a red traffic signal, proceeded to travel into the intersection despite the red signal and was later involved in a crash with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, driving through an intersection with FSD engaged, did not stay stopped 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”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “failed to give alerts of the system's intended actions as the car was approaching a red light”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

The full self-driving system, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the authority began an investigation into over two million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, in 2023, was deadly.

Company's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for use with a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to assume control at any moment. While these capabilities are designed to improve over time, the presently active functions do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.