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US automobile safety regulators have opened an investigation into Tesla cars featuring the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches following multiple collisions.

Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Breaches

The NHTSA stated that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that violated road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the first step before potentially requesting a recall of the vehicles if the agency determines they pose a risk to road safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had documented accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars running red lights and traveling in the wrong way during lane switching while operating the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using FSD activated, “came to an junction with a red light, continued to drive into the crossroads against the red light and was later part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

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

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 complaints and one media report claiming that Tesla cars, operating at an junction with FSD active, did not stay stopped for the entire time of a red light, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and show the correct light status in the car's display”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “did not provide warnings of the system's intended actions as the vehicle was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Official Examination

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

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

Manufacturer's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for use with a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to take over at any moment. While these capabilities are designed to become more capable, the currently enabled features do not make the car autonomous.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.