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US automobile safety regulators have opened an probe into Tesla vehicles equipped with the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches following numerous collisions.

Regulatory Body Identifies Traffic Law Violations

The federal safety agency declared that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had “induced vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the vehicles if the authority concludes they present a danger to road safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The agency reported it had documented accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and moving against the incorrect direction during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD activated, “approached an junction with a red light, continued to drive into the crossroads against the red signal and was later involved in a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

The authority noted that four accidents had resulted in one or more injuries.

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla cars, driving through an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “failed to give warnings of the technology's planned actions as the vehicle was coming to a red light”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, 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 investigation into over two million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or airborne dust. One such accident, in 2023, 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 steering wheel and is ready to assume control at any moment. While these capabilities are designed to become more capable, the presently active functions do not make the vehicle self-driving.”

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