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US automobile safety regulators have opened an investigation into Tesla vehicles featuring the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches following multiple collisions.

Safety Agency Identifies Traffic Law Violations

The federal safety agency stated that the automaker's self-driving assistance system, which requires drivers to stay alert and take control when necessary, had caused vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA marks the first step before possibly seeking a withdrawal of the vehicles if the agency determines they present a danger to public safety.

Concerning Case Findings

The agency stated it had documented accounts of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red traffic lights and moving against the incorrect direction during lane switching while using the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla car, operating with FSD engaged, “approached an intersection with a red light, proceeded to drive into the intersection despite the red signal and was later involved in a crash with other motor vehicles in the junction”.

The agency reported that four crashes had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Additional Safety Concerns

The NHTSA stated it has identified 18 reports and one media report claiming that Tesla vehicles, driving through an junction with FSD active, did not stay stopped for the duration of a red light, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and show the proper traffic signal state in the car's display”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “did not provide alerts of the system's planned actions as the car was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing 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 inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars using FSD after four documented crashes in situations of reduced visibility, such as sun glare, fog or dust clouds. One such accident, in 2023, was fatal.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

The company's official position indicates that FSD is “designed for operation by a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to assume control at any moment. While these capabilities are engineered to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not make the vehicle autonomous.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face increased scrutiny from regulatory bodies as the systems develop and practical implementation reveals possible issues with existing deployments.