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American vehicle safety authorities have commenced an investigation into Tesla vehicles equipped with the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches following numerous collisions.

Safety Agency Finds Traffic Law Violations

The federal safety agency declared that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before potentially seeking a recall of the vehicles if the agency concludes they pose a risk to road safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The regulatory body stated it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and moving in the wrong way during lane changes while using the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, using full self-driving engaged, “came to an intersection with a red traffic signal, proceeded to drive into the intersection against the red signal and was later involved in a crash with other cars in the junction”.

The agency reported that four accidents had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 reports and one news account alleging that Tesla cars, operating at an intersection with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stopped for the duration of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and show 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 car was coming to a red light”.

Ongoing Official Examination

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

In late 2024, the authority started an inquiry into over two million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, in 2023, was fatal.

Company's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for operation by a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to take over at any time. While these features are designed to become more capable, the presently active functions do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

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