Tesla faces lawsuit from former manager over FSD safety concerns

Former Tesla manager Javier Medrano has filed a lawsuit in a Houston federal court alleging systemic safety deficiencies in the company’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) testing operations. Medrano, who managed the operational test fleet in Houston from October 2024 until his termination in May 2025, claims the test vehicles became “rolling hazards on public streets” due to inadequate oversight.

The lawsuit alleges that during a forced expansion of testing, the ratio of safety drivers to vehicles rose to 38 to 1, significantly exceeding Tesla’s own internal guideline of 15 to 1. Medrano asserts that his dismissal violated the Motor Vehicle Safety Whistleblower Act, claiming he was fired while human resources was still reviewing his safety concerns. He is seeking reinstatement, lost wages, and compensation for unpaid stock options.

Separately, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating whether Tesla’s FSD system can reliably detect limited visibility caused by fog, glare, and dust.