Congressman Demands DOT Probe Into Tesla FSD After Videos Show Sleeping Drivers

Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) has demanded that the Department of Transportation (DOT) explain its oversight of Tesla’s Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD) systems. The move follows reports of drivers appearing to sleep while their vehicles remained in motion.

In a letter addressed to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Krishnamoorthi requested answers to five specific questions regarding the effectiveness of Tesla's driver monitoring and the criteria used to trigger safety recalls. The congressman has set a deadline of September 30 for the DOT to respond. The demand was prompted by an NBC News investigation that identified 43 videos of drivers who appeared to be asleep in moving Teslas, with 17 of those videos posted in 2026 alone.

Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla’s FSD and Autopilot systems are marketed as requiring active human supervision and are not fully autonomous. Despite these requirements, regulators and critics have frequently questioned whether Tesla's driver-monitoring systems (DMS) are sufficient to prevent driver inattention.

Currently, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is conducting an engineering analysis, designated as EA26002, which covers approximately 3.2 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD. This engineering analysis represents the final phase of the agency's investigation before it decides whether to close the case or mandate a formal safety recall. To date, the NHTSA probe has identified nine incidents related to reduced-visibility conditions, resulting in one fatality and one injury.

Safety Implications

This congressional inquiry highlights a critical safety gap where drivers may over-rely on semi-autonomous systems to the point of falling asleep. Rep. Krishnamoorthi noted that while FSD requires continuous human supervision, certain system messages appear to encourage use precisely when the vehicle has detected that the driver may be less capable.

The consequences for the industry could be significant. If the DOT or NHTSA determines that Tesla's monitoring safeguards are inadequate or easily bypassed, it could lead to a massive mandatory recall of millions of vehicles. Such a move would force Tesla to implement more rigorous driver-attention safeguards to ensure operators remain engaged with the road.

Next Steps

Attention now turns to the September 30 deadline for the DOT's response. The outcome of the NHTSA's EA26002 analysis will be the primary driver for whether Tesla is forced to overhaul its current monitoring hardware or software. Until then, the extent to which drivers can successfully bypass these systems remains a central point of contention for federal regulators.