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US automobile safety regulators have started an investigation into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches after numerous crashes.

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The NHTSA announced that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires motorists to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the first step before possibly requesting a recall of the vehicles if the authority concludes they pose a risk to road safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The agency stated it had documented accounts of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red traffic lights and traveling against the wrong way during lane changes while operating the system.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with full self-driving engaged, “came to an junction with a red light, continued to drive into the crossroads despite the red signal and was later involved in a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

The agency reported that four crashes had resulted in one or more injuries.

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, operating at an intersection with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red light, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the correct traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “did not provide warnings of the technology's intended behaviour as the car was coming to a red light”.

Continuing Official Examination

The full self-driving system, 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 inquiry into over two million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in last year, was deadly.

Company's Official Stance

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 take over at any time. While these features are designed to improve over time, the currently enabled functions do not render the vehicle autonomous.”

Automated car systems continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.