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US automobile safety regulators have commenced an investigation into Tesla cars featuring the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches after numerous crashes.

Regulatory Body Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declared that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that violated road safety regulations”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the cars if the authority concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The regulatory body stated it had received accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and traveling in the wrong direction during lane changes while using the technology.

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

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

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 complaints and one media report claiming that Tesla vehicles, driving through an junction 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”.

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

Ongoing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the authority started an inquiry into over two million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for operation by a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to take over at any time. While these capabilities are engineered to improve over time, the presently active 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.