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American vehicle safety authorities have opened an investigation into Tesla cars equipped with the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches following numerous crashes.

Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Breaches

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

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly requesting a recall of the cars if the agency determines they pose a risk to road safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

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

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD engaged, “came to an intersection with a red light, continued to travel into the intersection against the red signal and was later part of a crash with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, driving through an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stationary for the entire time of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and show the correct light status in the car's display”.

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

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year.

In late 2024, the authority began an inquiry into over two million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or dust clouds. One such accident, in last year, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for operation by a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to assume control at any time. While these capabilities are designed to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not render the car self-driving.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.