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American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an probe into Tesla cars equipped with the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches after numerous crashes.

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The federal safety agency stated that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had caused car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the first step before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the vehicles if the authority concludes they pose a risk to road safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The agency reported it had documented reports of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and moving against the incorrect direction during lane switching while operating the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla car, operating with full self-driving engaged, “approached an junction with a red traffic signal, proceeded to drive into the crossroads against the red signal and was later part of a crash with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

The authority noted that four crashes had caused one or more injuries.

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the duration of a red light, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and show the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “did not provide alerts of the system's planned behaviour as the car was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

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

In late 2024, the authority started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars using FSD after four documented crashes in situations of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in 2023, was deadly.

Manufacturer'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 steering wheel and is ready to assume control at any time. While these capabilities are designed to improve over time, the currently enabled features do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

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