NHTSA Complaint #11656974 — 2025 TESLA MODEL Y

Critical Safety Defect Report – Tesla Full Self-Driving (FSD) Malfunction on [XXX] I am writing to formally report a critical and potentially deadly safety defect involving Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system. During a recent road trip with my husband and daughter from Boston, MA to Washington, D.C., I used Tesla's FSD feature. On our return trip on [XXX] while traveling on [XXX] under FSD control, the system demonstrated erratic and dangerous behavior that nearly caused a fatal accident. As we approached an intersection on [XXX] , I observed that the traffic lights were red. However, the vehicle—still under FSD control—continued traveling at approximately 70 mph without slowing down. Sensing something was wrong, I quickly intervened and manually stopped the car at the intersection, where cross traffic was moving at high speeds in both directions. Had I reacted even a second later—or had the lights remained red in our direction—we likely would have been struck and potentially killed by the oncoming traffic. After reviewing dashcam footage from the incident, I confirmed that the FSD system had not only failed to recognize the red traffic signal but had also directed the car onto the wrong path, leading us into the potential path of oncoming vehicles. This serious failure posed an extreme and unacceptable risk to my family’s lives. Following the incident, my young daughter was deeply traumatized and developed a high fever that night. This experience has left lasting emotional and psychological distress for all of us. I believe this event highlights a severe and urgent defect in Tesla’s FSD system. I respectfully urge the NHTSA to launch an immediate investigation to prevent similar occurrences that could result in injury or loss of life. I am prepared to submit the dashcam footage and relevant vehicle logs to support this report. Please advise on the next steps for providing this evidence. Thank you for your attention INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)