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US automobile safety regulators have opened an probe into Tesla cars featuring the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches following multiple collisions.

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had “induced vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly seeking a recall of the cars if the agency determines they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The agency stated it had received accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles running red lights and moving in the wrong direction during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving activated, “came to an intersection with a red light, proceeded to travel into the crossroads despite the red light and was later involved in a crash with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

The authority reported that four crashes had caused injuries to occupants.

Additional Safety Concerns

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

Several reporters also stated that FSD “did not provide warnings of the system's intended actions as the vehicle was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

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

In October 2024, the authority began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.

Company's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for use with a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to assume control at any moment. While these features are designed to improve over time, the currently enabled functions do not render the vehicle self-driving.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.