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American vehicle safety authorities have started an investigation into Tesla cars featuring the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches after several crashes.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The federal safety agency announced that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before potentially seeking a withdrawal of the vehicles if the agency determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and traveling in the incorrect way during lane switching while operating the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving engaged, “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, proceeded to drive into the crossroads against the red light and was subsequently involved in a collision with other cars in the junction”.

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stopped for the entire time 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 “did not provide alerts of the system's intended behaviour as the vehicle was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the authority started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in 2023, was fatal.

Company's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for operation by a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the 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 render the car autonomous.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals possible issues with current implementations.