Tesla Full Self-Driving under investigation after train incidents

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that it would investigate how Tesla’s semi-autonomous driving software handles railroad crossings.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Thursday that it would investigate how Tesla’s semi-autonomous driving software handles railroad crossings as part of a wide-ranging investigation of incidents where the agency said Tesla vehicles have violated traffic safety laws.

NHTSA said it was launching the investigation of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving software after receiving complaints from drivers, including reports of vehicles driving through red lights or on the wrong side of the road. The agency said the investigation relates to all Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD, or 2.9 million vehicles.

The agency said its investigation would look at the software’s performance at railroad crossings, which was the subject of an NBC News investigation published in September.

“While the behaviors under investigation appear to occur most frequently at intersections, NHTSA’s investigation will encompass any other types of situations in which this behavior may arise, such as when traveling adjacent to a lane of opposing traffic or when approaching railroad crossings,” NHTSA said in a three-page summary.

Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday.