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US automobile safety regulators have opened an investigation into Tesla vehicles equipped with the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches after multiple collisions.

Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Breaches

The NHTSA stated that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that violated traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before potentially requesting a recall of the cars if the agency determines they present a danger to road safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had documented accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles driving through red traffic lights and traveling against the wrong way during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD engaged, “came to an intersection with a red traffic signal, proceeded to travel into the crossroads against the red signal and was subsequently involved in a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Additional Issues Identified

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

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “failed to give alerts of the technology's intended behaviour as the vehicle was approaching a red light”.

Continuing Official Examination

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 authority began an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in situations of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for operation by a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to assume control at any moment. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not render the vehicle self-driving.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with current implementations.