The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an investigation into Tesla’s fully self-driving technology after reports that the software caused vehicles to run red lights and cross into the wrong lanes.
The investigation, which identified more than 50 reports of violations of this type, four of which resulted in injuries, is one of the first to specifically target Tesla’s Fully Self-Driving (FSD) driver-assistance software. NHTSA previously launched an investigation into FSD in October 2024 following reports of crashes in low visibility conditions.
In April 2024, the Federal Safety Agency closed its investigation into Tesla’s poorly functioning Autopilot system after identifying 13 fatal crashes related to its misuse. A separate study has yet to be conducted on the effectiveness of the fixes Tesla issued to Autopilot.
The new study was launched the same week Tesla released the latest version of its software, which CEO Elon Musk has been touting for months. This new version will incorporate training data obtained during Tesla’s current limited robotaxi pilot in Austin, Texas.
The safety agency’s Office of Defect Investigations (ODI) said Thursday it had received at least 18 complaints and one media report that Tesla’s FSD software failed to stop the car or keep it stopped at a red light. Additionally, ODI announced that it had identified six reports from Tesla under the agency’s Standing General Order (SGO) on Crash Reporting, which requires companies to submit information about crashes involving autonomous or partially autonomous vehicles.
ODI said it is already working with the Maryland Department of Transportation and State Police to determine if some of the red light issues are reproducible, as “multiple subject incidents occurred at the same intersection in Joppa, Maryland.” According to NHTSA, Tesla has already “taken steps to address this intersection issue.”
ODI also announced Thursday that FSD had identified 18 complaints from Teslas, two media reports, and two SGO reports for instances where FSD “veered into oncoming traffic during or after a turn, crossed double yellow lane markings while going straight, or attempted to enter a road in the wrong direction despite a wrong-way road sign.”
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ODI said it identified six complaints, one media report, and four SGO reports of Teslas with FSD activated driving straight through intersections from right-turn lanes or turning right from straight-through lanes.
“Some of the reported incidents appear to involve FSDs performing lane changes into oncoming traffic with little notice to drivers and no opportunity to intervene,” ODI wrote.
ODI has launched a “preliminary assessment”, one of the first steps towards a recall request. The agency typically tries to complete such investigations within eight months, but said it was unclear whether the federal government shutdown would affect that schedule.
Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency reportedly slashed NHTSA’s auto automation safety staff earlier this year.
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