The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has initiated a federal investigation into Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system following reports of 44 separate incidents potentially tied to safety defects. The scope of the probe covers nearly 2.88 million Tesla vehicles, including those using “FSD Beta,” to determine whether the automated system may have contributed to crashes, traffic violations, or other hazardous driving behaviour.
The key focus of NHTSA’s inquiry is whether Tesla provides adequate warnings to drivers and grants them sufficient reaction time when FSD behaves unexpectedly. The evaluation will scrutinize how well FSD recognises traffic signals, lane markings, and road signs, and whether the system’s intended actions are clearly communicated to human drivers.
Among the incidents flagged are cases in which Tesla vehicles reportedly ran red lights, veered into opposing traffic lanes, or performed other dangerous manoeuvres that resulted in collisions or injuries. These events raise concerns about the reliability of FSD under real-world conditions, especially since Tesla markets it as a step toward full autonomy despite requiring drivers to stay alert.
Tesla has not publicly responded to the investigation at this time. Recently, the company rolled out FSD version 14.1 to users as part of its ongoing efforts to advance toward fully autonomous “robotaxi” capabilities. However, current robotaxi trials in Texas and elsewhere still mandate the presence of human safety drivers onboard.
The probe arrives amid scrutiny over past staffing cuts at NHTSA, which some reports suggest were influenced by directives from Elon Musk and former President Donald Trump. Such reductions may have weakened the agency’s capacity to oversee autonomous vehicle safety effectively, according to critics.
This federal evaluation reflects mounting regulatory pressure on Tesla’s deployment of FSD technology. As automated driving remains a contentious frontier, the investigation underscores deeper questions about EV safety, regulatory compliance, and the readiness of autonomous systems for widespread use.
