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American vehicle safety authorities have started an probe into Tesla vehicles featuring the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches after numerous collisions.

Safety Agency Identifies Safety Regulation Violations

The NHTSA stated that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires drivers to remain attentive and intervene if needed, had “induced vehicle behaviour that violated road safety regulations”.

This preliminary evaluation 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 reported it had received accounts of 2.88 million Tesla cars running red lights and moving against the wrong way during lane changes while operating the technology.

NHTSA confirmed it has six documented cases in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with full self-driving engaged, “came to an intersection with a red light, proceeded to drive into the intersection despite the red light and was later part of a collision with other motor vehicles in the intersection”.

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

Further Safety Concerns

The NHTSA announced it has found 18 reports and one news account claiming that Tesla cars, driving through an junction with FSD active, did not stay stationary for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and show the proper light status in the vehicle interface”.

Several reporters also stated that FSD “failed to give warnings of the system's intended behaviour as the car was approaching a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Official Examination

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

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, mist or dust clouds. One such accident, in 2023, was deadly.

Manufacturer's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for use with a fully attentive motorist, who has their hands on the wheel and is ready to assume control at any moment. While these features are designed to improve over time, the currently enabled features do not make the vehicle self-driving.”

Automated vehicle technology continue to face growing examination from safety agencies as the systems develop and real-world testing reveals potential challenges with current implementations.