NHTSA Probes Tesla 'Mad Max' After 58 Reports

The U.S. safety regulator NHTSA is seeking information from Tesla about a new, more aggressive Full Self-Driving profile called “Mad Max” after social-media reports that it can operate at higher speeds and may exceed posted limits. The request is part of a broader NHTSA review of roughly 2.9 million Tesla vehicles with FSD following 58 reports — including 14 crashes and 23 injuries — alleging traffic-safety violations such as red-light and wrong-way incidents. Social posts and reports describe Mad Max as accelerating, weaving through traffic and prioritizing faster arrival times. Tesla promoted the mode on social media and previously beta-tested a similar feature in 2018 but did not release it then. Regulators, who have previously required recalls and over-the-air fixes for risky FSD behavior, are gathering details while Tesla has not issued a formal comment beyond reposting user praise and citing Autopilot safety metrics.