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US automobile safety regulators have started an investigation into Tesla cars equipped with the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches after multiple collisions.

Safety Agency Finds Traffic Law Violations

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that breached road safety regulations”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before possibly requesting a recall of the cars if the authority determines 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 against the wrong way during lane switching while operating the system.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, using FSD activated, “came to an junction with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the intersection against the red light and was later involved in a collision with other cars in the junction”.

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an junction with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stationary for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and display the correct traffic signal state in the car's display”.

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

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the authority started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One such accident, in 2023, was deadly.

Company's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for use with a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to take over at any moment. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled features do not render the vehicle self-driving.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals possible issues with current implementations.