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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified at least 80 instances in which Tesla\u2019s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software violated road rules by running red lights or crossing into the wrong lane, according to a new letter<\/a> sent to the automaker this week.<\/p>\n NHTSA said in the letter it has received 62 complaints from Tesla drivers, 14 reports submitted by Tesla, and four media reports that describe potential violations. That\u2019s up from around 50 violations NHTSA cited when it opened an investigation into the behavior<\/a> in October. <\/p>\n The federal safety agency\u2019s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is probing whether Tesla\u2019s driver assistance software can \u201caccurately detect and appropriately respond to traffic signals, signs and lane markings,\u201d according to the letter. ODI is also evaluating whether Tesla\u2019s software is providing sufficient warnings to drivers in these situations. Tesla\u2019s responses are due January 19, 2026.<\/p>\n The increase in complaints is notable in part because the original batch reported by ODI in October included multiple reports from one particular intersection in Joppa, Maryland. Tesla told the agency at the time that it had already \u201ctaken action to address the issue at this intersection.\u201d The agency didn\u2019t say where, geographically, these newly reported incidents took place. Tesla heavily redacts its own submissions<\/a> to the agency.<\/p>\n The new letter was sent to Tesla the same week that CEO Elon Musk claimed in a post on X<\/a> that the latest version of FSD will allow drivers to text and drive while using the driver assistance software, which is illegal in nearly every state. NHTSA has not responded to requests for comment about Musk\u2019s statement. <\/p>\n The letter is meant to kick off the discovery process for NHTSA, and as such it details a number of requests for information the agency has made to Tesla. For instance, the agency is asking for data on how many Tesla vehicles are equipped with FSD, as well as how often the software is engaged. ODI is also asking Tesla to turn over any customer complaints it has received regarding these specific problems with FSD, including from fleet operators and from any lawsuits or third-party arbitration proceedings. <\/p>\n This is the second investigation that NHTSA has opened into Tesla\u2019s FSD software. In October 2024, the agency began a probe into how FSD handles low-visibility situations like fog or extreme sunlight<\/a>.<\/p>\n