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US automobile safety regulators have started an investigation into Tesla vehicles featuring the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches following multiple crashes.

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The federal safety agency declared that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the initial phase before possibly seeking a recall of the vehicles if the authority determines they pose a risk to road safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The agency stated it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles running red lights and moving against the wrong way during lane switching while operating the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving engaged, “came to an junction with a red light, proceeded to travel into the crossroads despite the red signal and was later part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

The authority noted that four crashes had caused injuries to occupants.

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red light, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and show the correct light status in the vehicle interface”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “did not provide alerts of the system's planned behaviour as the vehicle was coming to a red light”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

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

In late 2024, the agency began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in last year, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for use with a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to assume control at any time. While these features are engineered to become more capable, the presently active functions do not make the car autonomous.”

Automated car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals possible issues with current implementations.