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American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an probe into Tesla cars featuring the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches following multiple accidents.

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The NHTSA declared that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the first step before possibly requesting a recall of the vehicles if the agency determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The agency stated it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red lights and moving in the incorrect way during lane changes while using the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla car, using full self-driving activated, “approached an junction with a red light, continued to drive into the intersection despite the red signal and was subsequently part of a collision with other cars in the junction”.

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

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stationary for the duration of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and show the correct light status in the car's display”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “failed to give warnings of the system's planned behaviour as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been under investigation by NHTSA for a year.

In late 2024, the agency began an investigation into over two million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “designed for operation by a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to assume control at any moment. While these capabilities are designed to become more capable, the currently enabled features do not render the vehicle autonomous.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.