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US automobile safety regulators have opened an examination into Tesla cars featuring the autonomous driving system due to safety regulation breaches after several accidents.

Safety Agency Finds Safety Regulation Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had “induced car behavior that breached road safety regulations”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA marks the first step before potentially requesting a withdrawal of the cars if the agency determines they pose a risk to road safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The regulatory body stated it had documented accounts of 2.88 million Tesla vehicles running red lights and moving in the wrong way during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD engaged, “approached an junction with a red light, proceeded to travel into the crossroads despite the red light and was subsequently part of a crash with other cars in the junction”.

The agency reported that four accidents had caused one or more injuries.

Additional Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 reports and one news account alleging that Tesla vehicles, driving through an intersection with FSD engaged, did not stay stopped for the duration of a red light, failed to stop fully, or did not properly recognize and show the proper traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “did not provide warnings of the technology's planned behaviour as the car was approaching a red light”.

Continuing Official Examination

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

In late 2024, the authority began an investigation into over two million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, fog or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in last year, was fatal.

Company's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for operation by 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 become more capable, the presently active features do not make the car self-driving.”

Self-driving vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from safety agencies as the technology advances and practical implementation reveals potential challenges with existing deployments.