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US automobile safety regulators have commenced an examination into Tesla vehicles featuring the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches following several crashes.

Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Violations

The NHTSA declared that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly requesting a recall of the cars if the authority concludes they pose a risk to road safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The agency stated it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and traveling in the wrong way during lane switching while operating the system.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using full self-driving activated, “approached an junction with a red light, proceeded to drive into the crossroads against the red light and was later involved in a crash with other cars in the intersection”.

The agency noted that four accidents had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stopped for the duration of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and show the correct traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “did not provide alerts of the system's planned behaviour as the vehicle was coming to a red light”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

The full self-driving system, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the agency began an investigation into over two million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, fog or dust clouds. One such accident, in 2023, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

Tesla's website states 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 engineered to become more capable, the presently active features do not make the car autonomous.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.