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US automobile safety regulators have opened an examination into Tesla cars featuring the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches following numerous collisions.

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced car behavior that violated road safety regulations”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the authority determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had documented accounts of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles running red lights and moving in the wrong direction during lane switching while operating the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving activated, “came to an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to drive into the crossroads despite the red light and was subsequently involved in a crash with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 complaints and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stationary for the entire time of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and show the proper light status in the vehicle interface”.

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

Ongoing Official Examination

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 agency began an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.

Company's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for use with a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to take over at any time. While these features are engineered 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 real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.