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NHTSA Elevates Tesla FSD Probe to Engineering Analysis Covering 3.2 Million Vehicles

The upgrade triggers formal testing of Tesla Vision’s visibility warnings before any potential recall.

Overview

  • U.S. auto-safety regulators advanced the 2024 inquiry into Full Self‑Driving (Supervised) from a preliminary evaluation to an engineering analysis, the final investigative stage before a recall recommendation.
  • The scope now spans an estimated 3.2 million Teslas and 13 crashes linked to low-visibility conditions, including a 2023 fatality, up from 2.4 million vehicles and seven crashes previously.
  • Investigators will evaluate the camera‑based Tesla Vision system in scenarios involving glare, fog, and airborne dust, and will examine a June 2024 software update and subsequent revisions.
  • NHTSA says incident data suggest the system’s visibility‑degradation detection can fail to warn drivers appropriately, with some alerts arriving only immediately before impacts.
  • Models under review include the 3, S, X, Y, and Cybertruck when using FSD (Supervised), as the federal action coincides with court rulings and state regulatory disputes affecting Tesla.