NHTSA Probing Tesla Full Self-Driving After Reports Of Red-Light Runs, Collisions

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an investigation into 2.88 million Tesla vehicles equipped with its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system after more than 50 reports of traffic-safety violations and crashes, according to Reuters.

NHTSA said FSD, which requires driver supervision, has “induced vehicle behavior that violated traffic safety laws.”

Reports include Teslas running red lights and making lane changes against oncoming traffic. The agency is reviewing 58 cases, including 14 crashes and 23 injuries. Six involved vehicles driving through red lights and colliding at intersections; four crashes caused injuries.

A driver in Houston told NHTSA that FSD “is not recognizing traffic signals. This results in the vehicle proceeding through red lights, and stopping at green lights.”

The complaint added: “Tesla doesn’t want to fix it, or even acknowledge the problem, even though they’ve done a test drive with me and seen the issue with their own eyes.”

Reuters writes that the probe, a preliminary evaluation, could lead to a recall if regulators find an unreasonable safety risk. It will also review FSD behavior at railroad crossings. Tesla, which issued a software update to FSD this week, did not respond to requests for comment.

The investigation comes amid mounting scrutiny of Tesla’s driver-assistance features.

In October 2024, NHTSA opened a separate inquiry into 2.4 million Teslas after crashes in poor visibility, including a 2023 fatal accident. In January, regulators began probing 2.6 million vehicles over a remote-movement feature, and they are also reviewing Tesla’s self-driving robotaxis in Austin.

On August 1, 2025 a Florida jury ordered Tesla to pay $329 million in damages after finding the company partially liable in a 2019 crash that killed 22-year-old Naibel Benavides Leon and seriously injured her boyfriend.

The jury ruled that Tesla’s Autopilot driver-assistance system failed to prevent the collision, even though the driver admitted being distracted at the time. The verdict marks a rare instance of Tesla being held responsible for a fatal accident and could set an important precedent for the legal risks facing automated driving technology. Tesla disputes the ruling and plans to appeal.