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American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an examination into Tesla vehicles equipped with the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches after multiple accidents.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declared that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had “induced vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially seeking a recall of the vehicles if the agency determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The agency reported it had documented reports of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles driving through red traffic lights and moving against the incorrect way during lane changes while using the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using FSD engaged, “approached an intersection with a red light, proceeded to travel into the crossroads against the red light and was later involved in a collision with other cars in the junction”.

The agency noted that four accidents had caused one or more injuries.

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stationary for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and display the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

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

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the agency began an investigation into over two million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for use with a completely alert 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 features do not render the car self-driving.”

Automated car systems continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals possible issues with existing deployments.