Federal probe follows fatal pedestrian incident and multiple crashes involving Tesla’s Full Self-Driving tech.

Updated: May 12 2025, 14:34 PM EDT

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched a formal investigation into Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) system after four crash incidents involving reduced roadway visibility, including one that resulted in a pedestrian fatality.

According to a newly opened preliminary evaluation (PE24031), initially reported by ABC News, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is examining whether Tesla's FSD-both Beta and Supervised versions-failed to adequately respond to environmental hazards such as sun glare, fog, or airborne dust. The FSD feature, marketed as a partial driving automation system, is available in Tesla's 2016-2024 Model S and X, 2017-2024 Model 3, 2020-2024 Model Y, and the 2023-2024 Cybertruck.

The investigation was prompted by four crash reports filed under NHTSA's Standing General Order (SGO), a framework used to monitor automated driving systems. Of the four crashes being reviewed, one resulted in a pedestrian death, and another involved a reported injury. All incidents occurred with FSD active while visibility was reduced due to environmental factors.

"The Office of Defects Investigation is assessing the ability of FSD's engineering controls to detect and respond appropriately to reduced visibility scenarios," the agency wrote in its summary. The review will also determine if additional crashes under similar conditions have occurred and whether Tesla has issued updates that may impact the safety of its FSD system.

The listed crashes are associated with the following SGO reports: 13781-8004, 13781-7181, 13781-7381, and 13781-7767. Full documentation is available at NHTSA.gov.

This is not the first time Tesla's driver assistance systems have come under scrutiny, but the involvement of fatal outcomes tied to specific environmental conditions adds new urgency to regulators' ongoing oversight.