The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into 2.88 million Tesla vehicles equipped with the company’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system, citing potential traffic-safety violations linked to a series of crashes. This US Tesla Self-Driving vehicles probe aims to ensure driver and public safety.
According to NHTSA, the FSD system — which still requires active driver supervision — has in some instances “induced vehicle behavior that violated traffic safety laws,” including running red lights and making improper lane changes into oncoming traffic. The ongoing US Tesla Self-Driving vehicles probe is crucial for addressing these safety concerns.
The agency said it has documented six crashes where Teslas operating under FSD drove through red lights and collided with other vehicles, resulting in four injuries. It has also received 18 complaints and one media report alleging the system failed to remain stopped at red lights or to correctly detect and display signal states. The findings so far highlight the importance of the US Tesla Self-Driving vehicles probe.
If NHTSA determines the issue poses an unreasonable safety risk, the investigation could lead to a recall. Tesla has not yet responded to requests for comment on the ongoing US Tesla Self-Driving vehicles probe.
The review marks an expansion of NHTSA’s ongoing scrutiny of Tesla’s driver-assistance systems. The agency previously opened a separate inquiry in October 2024 into 2.4 million vehicles following collisions in low-visibility conditions — including one fatal crash in 2023.
