NHTSA Autonomous Vehicle Investigations

How NHTSA Investigations Work

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) follows a structured process when evaluating potential safety defects in vehicles. Understanding this pipeline helps contextualize where each investigation stands:

• Preliminary Evaluation (PE): The initial screening phase. NHTSA reviews complaints, crash data, and other information to determine if a formal investigation is warranted. Most inquiries start here. Duration: weeks to months.
• Engineering Analysis (EA): A deeper technical investigation. Engineers conduct testing, review manufacturer data, and analyze the defect in detail. This phase can last months or years.
• Recall Request / Order: If the investigation confirms a safety defect, NHTSA works with the manufacturer to issue a recall. If the manufacturer refuses, NHTSA can order a mandatory recall.
• Audit Query (AQ): NHTSA may also open audit queries to evaluate whether manufacturers are complying with recall obligations and reporting requirements.

Not all investigations result in recalls. Many are closed after the agency determines there's insufficient evidence of a safety defect, or after the manufacturer voluntarily addresses the issue.

Key AV/ADAS Investigations

Several landmark investigations have shaped the regulatory landscape for autonomous vehicles:

• PE22-002 (Tesla Autopilot): Covering 3.2 million vehicles, this investigation examined whether Autopilot's driver monitoring was adequate. It led to a 2-million vehicle recall in December 2023, though NHTSA later found the remedy insufficient.
• PE25-012 (Tesla FSD Red Lights): Opened in 2025 to investigate reports of FSD running red lights, particularly in the "Mad Max" aggressive driving mode.
• PE22-004 (Tesla Phantom Braking): Investigating unexpected braking events in Tesla vehicles, triggered by hundreds of consumer complaints.
• Cruise Investigations: Multiple probes into GM's Cruise robotaxi service following pedestrian incidents in San Francisco, ultimately contributing to the suspension of Cruise operations.
• Waymo Probes: Investigations into Waymo's autonomous vehicles following incidents involving unexpected braking and traffic violations.

Why Investigations Matter

NHTSA investigations are the primary mechanism through which the federal government ensures autonomous vehicle safety. Unlike voluntary safety reports from manufacturers, investigations carry regulatory weight and can compel recalls, fines, and operational changes.

For consumers, tracking open investigations provides early warning about potential safety issues before they become formal recalls. If your vehicle or its autonomous system is under investigation, it doesn't necessarily mean there's a defect — but it means NHTSA has identified a pattern worth examining.

The Investigation-to-Recall Pipeline

The path from initial complaint to recall can be long and complex:

1. 1. Consumer complaints: Individual complaints are filed via NHTSA's website or hotline. A pattern of similar complaints triggers attention.
2. 2. Complaint screening: NHTSA analysts identify trends and patterns across complaints, incident reports, and crash data.
3. 3. Preliminary Evaluation: If a pattern is identified, NHTSA opens a PE to gather more information from the manufacturer.
4. 4. Engineering Analysis: If the PE finds potential evidence of a defect, an EA provides deeper technical investigation.
5. 5. Recall decision: Based on EA findings, NHTSA determines whether to request or mandate a recall.
6. 6. Remedy verification: After a recall, NHTSA monitors whether the fix actually resolves the defect — as with Tesla's PE22-002, where the initial remedy was deemed insufficient.

Consumer Complaints Drive Action

Every major NHTSA investigation into autonomous vehicles started with consumer complaints. Filing a complaint at NHTSA.gov is one of the most effective actions a consumer can take to improve AV safety. The PE25-012 investigation into FSD red-light running, for example, was triggered directly by complaint patterns.

If you experience unexpected behavior from your vehicle's autonomous features — phantom braking, traffic signal violations, unexpected steering — file a complaint. Even if it feels minor, your report could be the one that tips the pattern and triggers an investigation.

NHTSA's Evolving Approach

NHTSA's approach to autonomous vehicle oversight has evolved significantly since the first AV crashes drew public attention. Key developments include:

• Standing General Order (2021): Required manufacturers to report all crashes involving vehicles with Level 2+ automation, creating the incident database that powers this site.
• Recall effectiveness monitoring: NHTSA's reopening of the Tesla PE22-002 investigation after finding the recall remedy insufficient signals a new willingness to hold manufacturers accountable for fix quality.
• Complaint-driven investigations: The agency has become more responsive to consumer complaint patterns, opening investigations like PE25-012 based directly on complaint trends.
• Cross-manufacturer analysis: NHTSA is increasingly comparing safety patterns across manufacturers, using the SGO database to identify industry-wide concerns.

Investigations by Manufacturer

The distribution of investigations across manufacturers reflects both fleet size and the scope of autonomous technology deployment. Higher investigation counts don't necessarily indicate less safe vehicles — they often correlate with larger fleets and more advanced automation features that attract regulatory scrutiny.

For broader context on how NHTSA data relates to vehicle safety, see our consumer safety guide and crash statistics page.