Friday 24 October 2025 17:03 BST Comments Support Now From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is seeking information from Tesla about a new driver assistance mode, dubbed 'Mad Max', which reportedly operates at higher speeds. The US regulator's inquiry follows social media reports that vehicles using this more aggressive Full Self-Driving system could exceed posted speed limits. "NHTSA is in contact with the manufacturer to gather additional information," the agency said. "The human behind the wheel is fully responsible for driving the vehicle and complying with all traffic safety laws." NHTSA earlier this month opened an investigation into 2.9 million Tesla vehicles equipped with its FSD system due to the dozens of reports of traffic-safety violations and crashes. open image in gallery Tesla vehicles line a parking area at the company's Fremont, Calif., factory on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Noah Berger, File) (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) NHTSA said in opening the investigation it is reviewing 58 reports of issues involving traffic safety violations when using FSD, including 14 crashes and 23 injuries. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but last week reposted a social media post that described Mad Max mode as accelerating and weaving "through traffic at an incredible pace, all while still being super smooth. It drives your car like a sports car. If you are running late, this is the mode for you." NHTSA said earlier this month that FSD - an assistance system that requires drivers to pay attention and intervene if needed - has "induced vehicle behavior that violated traffic safety laws." open image in gallery