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US automobile safety regulators have opened an investigation into Tesla cars equipped with the full self-driving technology due to safety regulation breaches following multiple accidents.

Regulatory Body Finds Traffic Law Breaches

The federal safety agency announced that the automaker's autonomous driving feature, which requires motorists to stay alert and take control when necessary, had caused car behavior that breached road safety regulations”.

This early investigation by the NHTSA represents the first step before possibly requesting a recall of the vehicles if the authority concludes they pose a risk to road safety.

Alarming Case Findings

The agency stated it had received reports of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles running red traffic lights and moving in the wrong way during lane switching while using the system.

NHTSA stated it has six reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD activated, “came to an junction with a red traffic signal, proceeded to travel into the intersection despite the red light and was later part of a crash with other cars in the junction”.

The authority noted that four crashes had resulted in injuries to occupants.

Further Issues Identified

The NHTSA stated it has found 18 reports and one media report claiming that Tesla cars, operating at an junction with FSD active, “failed to remain stopped for the entire time of a red light, did not come to complete stop, or failed to accurately detect and show the correct light status in the car's display”.

Some complainants also claimed that FSD “failed to give alerts of the technology's planned actions as the car was coming to a red traffic signal”.

Ongoing Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla's FSD, which is more advanced than its basic autopilot feature, has been under investigation by NHTSA for a year.

In late 2024, the agency began an inquiry into 2.4 million Tesla cars equipped with FSD after four reported collisions in conditions of reduced visibility, such as bright sunlight, mist or airborne dust. One of these collisions, in last year, was deadly.

Company's Official Stance

Tesla's website states that FSD is “intended for use with a completely alert motorist, who has their hands on the steering wheel and is prepared to take over at any moment. While these features are designed to become more capable, the currently enabled functions do not render the car self-driving.”

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