Tesla FSD Beta Ran Red Lights and Stop Signs Leading to NHTSA Recall

In October 2022, multiple Tesla owners began documenting instances where their vehicles' Full Self-Driving Beta software failed to obey basic traffic control devices. Video evidence emerged showing Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD Beta version 10.69.3 and earlier versions autonomously proceeding through red lights and rolling through stop signs without proper stops. These incidents occurred across various intersection types and lighting conditions, suggesting systematic flaws in the vehicle's computer vision and decision-making algorithms. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched an investigation in December 2022 after receiving reports and reviewing social media documentation of these traffic violations. NHTSA's preliminary evaluation identified that Tesla's FSD Beta software could allow vehicles to travel through intersections while violating local traffic laws, including proceeding through steady yellow traffic signals when it may not be safe to do so, failing to come to a complete stop at stop sign-controlled intersections, and proceeding through intersections during steady red traffic signal phases. On February 16, 2023, NHTSA announced a recall affecting 362,758 Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD Beta software. The recall covered Model S (2016-2023), Model X (2016-2023), Model 3 (2017-2023), and Model Y (2020-2023) vehicles. Tesla agreed to release an over-the-air software update to address the identified safety defects, specifically improving the vehicle's ability to detect and respond appropriately to traffic control devices. The incidents raised significant concerns about the readiness of autonomous driving technology for public roads and highlighted gaps in current regulatory oversight of beta software deployed in consumer vehicles. Multiple class-action lawsuits were filed against Tesla, alleging that the company misrepresented the safety and capabilities of its FSD system. The recall represented one of the largest autonomous vehicle safety actions in U.S. history and prompted broader discussions about the testing and deployment standards for self-driving car technology.