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

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The NHTSA stated that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires drivers to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly requesting a recall of the cars if the authority concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had documented accounts of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and moving against the incorrect direction during lane switching while operating the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving engaged, “approached an junction with a red light, continued to travel into the intersection against the red light and was later involved in a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla cars, operating at an intersection with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stopped for the duration of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and show the correct light status in the car's display”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “failed to give warnings of the technology's intended behaviour as the vehicle was approaching a red light”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the agency began an inquiry into over two million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, fog or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.

Company's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for use with 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 render the vehicle self-driving.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with current implementations.