2.88 million Teslas Under Federal Investigation for FSD Traffic Violations — Data Deadline Looms The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating approximately 2.88 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD (Supervised) or FSD (Beta) systems for alleged traffic violations. The agency has demanded data related to incidents such as running red lights, making illegal turns, and driving the wrong way. Tesla has three days to comply with the request, or face potential penalties. The FSD system, rated as “Level-2” by the NHTSA, requires a human driver to remain attentive and ready to intervene at all times. While the system is designed to assist with driving tasks, legal responsibility for errors or accidents typically falls on the driver. The investigation focuses on whether these violations occurred in ways that could prevent a driver from reacting in time, such as sudden acceleration or abrupt lane changes. NHTSA’s inquiry includes 58 reported incidents tied to the issue, resulting in 23 injuries from 14 crashes. No fatalities have been linked to the problem. Tesla has previously faced scrutiny over its compliance with safety regulations, including a 2025 case where it was fined $243 million after failing to provide data in a wrongful death lawsuit. The company also ignored a 2019 cease-and-desist order from NHTSA regarding misleading safety claims, leading to a referral to the Federal Trade Commission. The NHTSA could impose fines of up to $28,000 per day, with a maximum penalty of $139.4 million. However, Tesla’s financial resources—Elon Musk’s estimated daily earnings of $236 million to $698 million—make such penalties less impactful.#nhtsa #tesla #elon_musk #federal_trade_commission #federal_traffic_safety_administration
