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US automobile safety regulators have started an examination into Tesla cars equipped with the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches following multiple crashes.

Regulatory Body Finds Safety Regulation Violations

The NHTSA announced that the electric carmaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires motorists to stay alert and intervene if needed, had “induced vehicle behaviour that breached traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents the first step before potentially seeking a withdrawal of the cars if the authority concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The regulatory body stated it had received reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red lights and traveling in the incorrect way during lane switching while operating the system.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, using FSD engaged, “approached an junction with a red traffic signal, proceeded to drive into the crossroads against the red signal and was subsequently part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 complaints and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, operating at an junction with FSD engaged, did not stay stopped for the duration of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and display the proper traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Some complainants also stated that FSD “did not provide alerts of the system's planned actions as the car was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its Autopilot system, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the agency started an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of poor visibility, such as sun glare, fog or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in last year, was deadly.

Company's Stated Position

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “intended for use with a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is ready to assume control at any moment. While these features are engineered to improve over time, the currently enabled features do not make the car autonomous.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals possible issues with existing deployments.