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US automobile safety regulators have opened an examination into Tesla vehicles equipped with the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches after numerous crashes.

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

The NHTSA announced that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands motorists to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents the first step before possibly seeking a recall of the cars if the authority determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Concerning Incident Reports

The regulatory body reported it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles running red lights and traveling against the wrong direction during lane changes while using the system.

NHTSA stated it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, using FSD activated, “came to an junction with a red light, proceeded to drive into the crossroads against the red light and was later involved in a crash with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

The authority reported that four accidents had resulted in one or more injuries.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 complaints and one media report claiming that Tesla vehicles, 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 show the correct traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Several reporters also claimed that FSD “did not provide warnings of the system's intended behaviour as the car was coming to a red light”.

Continuing Official Examination

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

In late 2024, the authority began an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in situations of poor visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or airborne dust. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Stated Position

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for use with a completely alert driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to take over at any moment. While these features are designed to become more capable, the presently active features do not make the vehicle self-driving.”

Self-driving car systems continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with current implementations.