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US automobile safety regulators have commenced an probe into Tesla cars equipped with the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches after several collisions.

Regulatory Body Finds Safety Regulation Violations

The federal safety agency announced that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had “induced vehicle behaviour that violated traffic safety laws”.

This initial assessment by the NHTSA marks the initial phase before possibly requesting a withdrawal of the vehicles if the authority concludes they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles driving through red lights and moving against the incorrect direction during lane changes while operating the technology.

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

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

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 complaints and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, operating at an intersection with FSD engaged, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or did not properly recognize and show the proper traffic signal state in the vehicle interface”.

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

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

The full self-driving system, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been being examined by NHTSA for twelve months.

In late 2024, the authority started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles using FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or airborne dust. One such accident, in 2023, was deadly.

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 prepared to assume control at any moment. While these capabilities are designed to improve over time, the currently enabled features do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

Automated car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.