Senators Urge NHTSA Probe of Tesla FSD

Senators Ed Markey and Richard Blumenthal asked NHTSA to open an immediate investigation into Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD), saying reports that it can fail to detect or properly respond to railroad crossings create risks of “catastrophic” multi‑fatality collisions and urging possible usage limits and a less‑misleading name. NHTSA said it is gathering incident data and had previously opened an October 2024 probe into about 2.4 million FSD‑equipped vehicles after visibility‑related crashes, including a 2023 fatality. Viral videos, advocacy reports of near‑misses, lawsuits and international scrutiny have amplified calls for stricter oversight even as Tesla says FSD remains a supervised system requiring driver attention. Separately, Tesla is rolling out major software improvements across its driver‑assist suite — including updates to Actually Smart Summon designed to navigate multi‑storey underground parking — and has rapidly expanded FSD (Supervised) abroad, with Australian drivers logging a combined one million kilometres in under two weeks after the Sept. 18, 2025 right‑hand‑drive rollout. The convergence of rapid deployment, high real‑world use, ongoing software fixes and safety inquiries underscores escalating regulatory and public concern over Tesla’s autonomy claims.