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

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Breaches

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declared that the electric carmaker's autonomous driving feature, which demands motorists to stay alert and intervene if needed, had caused car behavior that violated road safety regulations”.

This preliminary evaluation by the NHTSA represents the first step before potentially requesting a recall of the vehicles if the agency determines they pose a risk to public safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The regulatory body reported it had documented reports of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red lights and traveling against the incorrect direction during lane switching while using the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, using full self-driving engaged, “approached an junction with a red traffic signal, proceeded to travel into the intersection despite the red signal and was subsequently involved in a collision with other cars in the junction”.

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

Further Safety Concerns

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

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

Ongoing Official Examination

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

In October 2024, the agency started an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four documented crashes in conditions of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, fog or airborne dust. One such accident, in 2023, was deadly.

Company's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates 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 engineered to become more capable, the presently active features do not render the car self-driving.”

Automated car systems continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the technology advances and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.