Feds find more complaints about Tesla’s FSD running red lights and crossing lanes

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found at least 80 cases in which Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software broke traffic rules by running red lights or moving into the wrong lane, according to new letter sent to the automaker this week.

NHTSA said in the letter that it has received 62 complaints from Tesla drivers, 14 reports filed by Tesla and four media reports describing possible violations. That’s out of about 50 violations NHTSA reported when it opened an investigation into the behavior in October.

The federal safety agency’s Office of Fault Investigation (ODI) is investigating whether Tesla’s driver assistance software can “accurately detect and respond appropriately to traffic signals, signs and lane markings,” according to the letter. ODI is also evaluating whether Tesla’s software provides adequate warnings to drivers in these situations. Tesla’s responses are due on January 19, 2026.

The increase in complaints is notable in part because the initial batch reported by ODI in October included multiple reports from a specific intersection in Joppa, Maryland. Tesla told the agency at the time that it had “already taken steps to address the issue at this intersection.” The agency did not say where, geographically, these newly reported incidents took place. Tesla deletes strongly her own observations at the agency.

The new letter was sent to Tesla the same week CEO Elon Musk claimed in a post on X that the latest version of FSD will allow drivers to text and drive while using the driver assistance software, which is illegal in almost every state. NHTSA has not responded to requests for comment on Musk’s statement.

The letter is intended to begin the discovery process for NHTSA, and as such outlines a series of requests for information the agency has made to Tesla. For example, the agency is asking for data on how many Tesla vehicles are equipped with FSD, as well as how often the software is used. ODI is also asking Tesla to turn over any customer complaints it has received about these specific problems with FSD, including from fleet operators and from any third-party lawsuits or arbitration proceedings.

This is the second investigation NHTSA has opened into Tesla’s FSD software. In October 2024, the agency began an investigation into how the FSD handles low-visibility situations such as fog or extreme sunlight.