Introduction to Investigation
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into nearly 2.9 million Tesla vehicles following reports of traffic safety violations related to the electric car maker’s Full Self-Driving system. This investigation involves Tesla vehicles equipped with the "FSD (Supervised)" and "FSD (Beta)" versions of the company’s self-driving systems, which require a fully attentive driver who is engaged in the driving task at all times.
Scope of the Investigation
The agency’s Office of Defects Investigation has received reports of 58 safety violations related to Tesla vehicles with FSD. These incidents include more than a dozen accidents and fires, resulting in 23 injuries. Reports of traffic violations include vehicles with FSD running red light signals and initiating a lane change into oncoming traffic.
Background of Safety Concerns
U.S. regulators have been investigating Tesla’s automated driving systems for more than three years due to dozens of accidents that raised safety concerns. One notable incident was a Tesla crash in the Seattle area in 2024, in which a motorcyclist died while the vehicle was in self-driving mode.
Questions Over Safety and Accountability
The ultimate question is whether the software works. Such problems have led lawmakers and safety regulators to question whether Tesla’s automated system and similar systems will ever be able to operate safely on a large scale. A new law set to be passed in California would hold self-driving car manufacturers accountable for traffic violations, effective next year.
Ongoing Investigations
Tesla is also being investigated for a "summon" technology that allows drivers to instruct their cars to drive to their location to pick them up, a feature that has reportedly resulted in some fender benders in parking lots. Additionally, an examination of driver assistance functions in 2.4 million Teslas was opened last year after several accidents in fog and other poor visibility conditions, including one in which a pedestrian was killed. In August, another investigation was opened into why Tesla allegedly failed to promptly report accidents to the agency as required by rules.
Pressure on Tesla
CEO Elon Musk is under pressure to show that recent advances in driver assistance features have addressed these problems. He has promised to put hundreds of thousands of self-driving Tesla cars and Tesla robotaxis on the road by the end of next year. Tesla shares fell 1.4% following the news, and the company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
