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US automobile safety regulators have started an examination into Tesla vehicles equipped with the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches after multiple collisions.

Regulatory Body Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

The federal safety agency announced that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which demands drivers to remain attentive and take control when necessary, had “induced car behavior that breached traffic safety laws”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially seeking a recall of the vehicles if the agency determines they pose a risk to road safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had documented accounts of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red traffic lights and traveling in the wrong direction during lane switching while operating the technology.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with full self-driving activated, “came to an junction with a red light, proceeded to travel into the intersection against the red light and was later involved in a collision with other cars in the intersection”.

The authority noted that four accidents had caused one or more injuries.

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 reports and one media report claiming that Tesla vehicles, operating at an intersection with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the duration of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and show the proper light status in the car's display”.

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

Ongoing Official Examination

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

In October 2024, the agency began an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars using FSD after four reported collisions in situations of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or airborne dust. One such accident, in last year, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for operation by a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to take over at any time. While these features are designed to improve over time, the presently active functions do not render the vehicle self-driving.”

Automated car systems continue to face growing examination from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals possible issues with existing deployments.