Tesla FSD crashes prompt US safety investigation
Tesla's Full Self-Driving system is under investigation by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration after reports of at least 14 crashes involving traffic violations like running red lights, resulting in 23 injuries across approximately 2.88 million vehicles.
What happened
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced on October 9, 2025 that it would investigate approximately 2.88 million Tesla vehicles equipped with the Full Self-Driving system after receiving over 50 reports of traffic safety violations and accidents.
The system was reported to cause vehicles to run red lights and make unsafe lane changes. NHTSA was reviewing 58 reports of related incidents, including 14 accidents that resulted in 23 people injured.
Six accident reports documented Full Self-Driving vehicles entering intersections against red lights and colliding with other vehicles, with four accidents causing injuries. Vehicle owners also complained that the system failed to accurately recognize traffic signals or come to a complete stop at red lights, and that Tesla neither addressed the issues nor acknowledged they existed.
Reported impact
14 crashes were reported involving Full Self-Driving vehicles, resulting in 23 injuries. Four of the crashes involving red-light violations caused injuries to occupants.
Index analysis
The investigation represents NHTSA's second review of Tesla's Full Self-Driving system; in October 2024, the agency had initiated a similar investigation of approximately 2.4 million vehicles over four collision incidents in low-visibility conditions.
NHTSA indicated that if it determined the vehicles posed an unreasonable safety risk, it could mandate a recall. The agency also planned to review the system's performance near railroad crossings.
Governance controls
Tesla updated related software during the week of the announcement, though the company provided no formal response to the allegations.
The investigation was conducted at the urging of Senator Richard Blumenthal and others who cited increased near-miss incidents in September 2025.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.