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US automobile safety regulators have commenced an examination into Tesla vehicles featuring the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches following numerous collisions.

Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Violations

The NHTSA announced that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly seeking a recall of the cars if the authority concludes they present a danger to road safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had documented accounts of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and traveling in the wrong direction during lane switching while operating the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with full self-driving engaged, “approached an junction with a red light, continued to drive into the crossroads against the red light and was later part of a crash with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla cars, driving through an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stopped for the entire time of a red light, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and display the proper traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “did not provide alerts of the technology's intended behaviour as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Official Examination

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

In October 2024, the agency started an inquiry into over two million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of poor visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One such accident, in 2023, was deadly.

Company's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for use with a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to take over at any time. While these features are designed to become more capable, the currently enabled features do not make the car self-driving.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with current implementations.