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US automobile safety regulators have started an probe into Tesla vehicles featuring the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches following several accidents.

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The NHTSA stated that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before potentially seeking a withdrawal of the vehicles if the authority determines they pose a risk to road safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had received accounts of 2.88 million Tesla cars driving through red lights and moving against the wrong way during lane changes while operating the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with full self-driving engaged, “came to an junction with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the intersection against the red signal and was later part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

The agency noted that four accidents had caused one or more injuries.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one media report claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an junction with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and show the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

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

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

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

In October 2024, the agency started an inquiry into over two million Tesla cars 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 deadly.

Company's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for operation by a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to assume control at any time. While these capabilities are designed to improve over time, the currently enabled functions do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals possible issues with existing deployments.