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US automobile safety regulators have opened an examination into Tesla vehicles featuring the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches after several crashes.

Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Violations

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced vehicle behaviour that breached traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before potentially seeking a recall of the vehicles if the authority concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Alarming 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 way during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD engaged, “approached an intersection with a red light, proceeded to travel into the intersection despite the red light and was subsequently part of a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

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

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 reports and one media report alleging that Tesla cars, operating at an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the duration of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “failed to give warnings of the system's planned behaviour as the vehicle was coming to a red light”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In October 2024, the authority started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, in 2023, was deadly.

Company's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for operation by a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to take over at any moment. While these capabilities are designed to improve over time, the presently active functions do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals possible issues with current implementations.