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US automobile safety regulators have started an examination into Tesla vehicles featuring the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches after numerous collisions.

Regulatory Body Identifies Safety Regulation Breaches

The federal safety agency stated that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had “induced car behavior that breached road safety regulations”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents the first step before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the vehicles if the agency concludes they pose a risk to public safety.

Alarming Incident Reports

The agency reported it had received accounts of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red traffic lights and moving in the incorrect direction during lane changes while operating the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using full self-driving activated, “approached an intersection with a red light, proceeded to travel into the intersection against the red light and was subsequently part of a collision with other cars in the junction”.

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

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has identified 18 complaints and one media report alleging that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the duration of a red traffic signal, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and display the proper light status in the car's display”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “failed to give alerts of the system's planned actions as the vehicle was coming to a red light”.

Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny

The full self-driving system, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for a year.

In October 2024, the authority began an investigation into over two million Tesla cars using FSD after four documented crashes in situations of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or dust clouds. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.

Company's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for use with a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to assume control at any time. While these features are designed to improve over time, the presently active features do not make the vehicle self-driving.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals possible issues with existing deployments.