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US automobile safety regulators have commenced an investigation into Tesla cars equipped with the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches following multiple crashes.

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Violations

The federal safety agency declared that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that violated road safety regulations”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially requesting a recall of the vehicles if the agency concludes they present a danger to road safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The regulatory body reported it had documented accounts of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and moving in the incorrect direction during lane changes while operating the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with full self-driving engaged, “came to an intersection with a red light, proceeded to drive into the crossroads despite the red light and was subsequently part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

The authority reported that four crashes had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 reports and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, operating at an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the duration of a red light, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper traffic signal state in the car's display”.

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

Continuing Official Examination

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the authority started an investigation into over two million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One such accident, in last year, was fatal.

Company'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 moment. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the presently active features do not render the vehicle autonomous.”

Automated car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals possible issues with existing deployments.