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American vehicle safety authorities have opened an probe into Tesla vehicles featuring the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches after several collisions.

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The federal safety agency stated that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that breached traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the vehicles if the agency determines they present a danger to road safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The agency reported it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red lights and moving in the wrong way during lane changes while using the system.

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

The agency noted that four crashes had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one news account alleging that Tesla cars, operating at an intersection 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 show the proper light status in the car's display”.

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

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

The full self-driving system, which is more sophisticated than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the authority began an investigation into over two million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or airborne dust. One such accident, in 2023, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

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 take over at any time. While these capabilities are designed to become more capable, the presently active features do not make the car self-driving.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.