The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has escalated its investigation into Tesla’s Full-Self Driving (Supervised) feature, a move that could potentially lead to a recall impacting approximately 3.2 million vehicles. This decision, made on Wednesday, transitions the inquiry, initially launched in 2024, to an “engineering analysis” phase to assess whether the system can adequately detect low-visibility conditions and alert drivers effectively.
The investigation is particularly focused on models utilizing the Tesla Vision system, which was implemented starting in mid-2021. The NHTSA aims to evaluate the performance of the feature in various road conditions after it has been linked to nine accidents, including a fatal incident in 2023. Notably, an update to the system was being developed right after the NHTSA received reports of the fatal crash.
Vehicles under scrutiny include the Model 3, Model S, Model X, Model Y, and the Cybertruck. This latest development adds to Tesla's ongoing challenges this year, including a recent $243 million judgment against the company related to a 2019 fatal crash involving a Model S. Additionally, a Texas Cybertruck owner has initiated legal action, alleging negligence in the company’s management and decision-making processes.