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American vehicle safety authorities have started an examination into Tesla cars featuring the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches following numerous collisions.

Regulatory Body Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declared that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had “induced car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before potentially seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the authority determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had received accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles running red lights and traveling against the incorrect way during lane switching while operating the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with full self-driving engaged, “approached an junction with a red light, continued to travel into the crossroads despite the red light and was subsequently involved in a crash with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

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

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 reports and one media report claiming that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stationary for the duration of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and show the correct light status in the car's display”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “failed to give alerts of the system's planned actions as the vehicle was coming to a red light”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

The full self-driving system, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the agency began an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in situations of poor visibility, such as sun glare, fog or dust clouds. One such accident, in 2023, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for use with a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to take over at any time. While these capabilities are engineered to become more capable, the presently active functions do not render the car self-driving.”

Automated car systems continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals possible issues with current implementations.