Tesla is facing another round of federal scrutiny in the United States, this time over allegations that its Robotaxis are exceeding speed limits in active school zones.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened a defect petition inquiry on October 9, 2026, covering an estimated 1,000 Tesla vehicles, including the Model Y and Cybercab.
The inquiry follows a petition submitted on September 23, alleging that Tesla’s Automated Driving System (ADS) fails to obey reduced speed limits in school zones. The petitioner provided three videos as evidence of the alleged violations.
According to NHTSA, four incidents have been identified, including one formal complaint submitted to the agency and three additional reports shared on social media.
Importantly, none of the reported incidents involved a collision, injury, or fatality.
Another Regulatory Hurdle for Tesla
The inquiry is still in its early stages. NHTSA has not determined whether Tesla’s software has a safety defect, and the agency is reviewing the evidence before deciding whether a formal investigation is warranted.
This is also not the only regulatory matter involving Tesla’s autonomous driving technology.
NHTSA is separately looking into the technical information supporting Tesla’s self-certification of the Cybercab, which is designed without a traditional steering wheel or pedals.
The latest inquiry comes as Tesla continues expanding its Robotaxi operations beyond Austin, Texas, including launches in Dallas and Houston earlier this year, with Cybercab rides in Dallas coming soon.
Tesla has also been growing its fleet in Austin, where the company recently indicated that the number of Cybercabs operating in the city had reached 300 units.
Tesla isn’t alone in facing questions about how autonomous vehicles behave around schools. Waymo has also faced federal scrutiny over incidents involving school buses and reduced-speed areas.
Related Articles:
- Tesla Pushes Robotaxi Operations Later at Night While Working to Avoid Pets on Dark Roads
- NHTSA opens audit into Tesla Cybercab’s road-legal certification
- Tesla Robotaxi expands to Dallas and Houston with fully autonomous rides
- Tesla Robotaxi fleet surpasses 1 million miles of unsupervised driving
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