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American vehicle safety authorities have opened an probe into Tesla vehicles equipped with the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches after several collisions.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused car behavior that violated road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly requesting a recall of the vehicles if the agency concludes they pose a risk to road safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The regulatory body reported it had received accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars running red traffic lights and traveling against the incorrect way during lane changes while operating the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD engaged, “approached an junction with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the intersection despite the red light and was subsequently part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

The authority noted that four crashes had caused injuries to occupants.

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD engaged, did not stay stationary for the duration of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and display the proper traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “did not provide warnings of the technology's planned actions as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Continuing 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 started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in 2023, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for operation by a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to take over at any time. While these features are designed to improve over time, the currently enabled functions do not make the car self-driving.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.