Tesla FSD v12.5 Safety Study Finds Required Intervention Every 13 Miles
Independent testing of Tesla's FSD v12.5 found that drivers had to intervene more than 75 times during over 1,000 miles of testing, averaging one intervention every 13 miles. The system's unpredictable failures—such as crossing double yellow lines and stopping at green lights—combined with its generally reliable performance, reportedly create a false sense of security that could increase crash risk.
What happened
Independent research firm AMCI Testing tested Tesla Full Self-Driving (FSD) v12.5 on a 2024 Tesla Model 3 Performance across over 1,000 miles including city streets, interstates, mountain roads, and rural two-lane roads.
During testing, drivers had to intervene more than 75 times, averaging one intervention every 13 miles. Reported failures included the vehicle crossing double yellow lines on a twisty mountain road and stopping at a green light during city testing.
Reported impact
AMCI's testing showed that while FSD performs well in most scenarios, the relatively low rate of driver interventions may create a false sense of trust and confidence that could lead to crashes. The unpredictability of failures—with the system successfully navigating a scenario multiple times before inexplicably failing on subsequent attempts—was noted as particularly disconcerting.
Index analysis
AMCI's director of testing stated that FSD's inconsistent performance on identical road sections and intersections presents an insidious safety issue. The system's Level 2 automation requires continuous driver readiness, yet its frequent success in routine scenarios may foster complacency.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.