NHTSA Opens Inquiry Into Tesla Robotaxis Over Alleged School Zone Speeding

Tesla is facing another round of federal scrutiny 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. 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.

• The petition provided three videos as evidence of the alleged violations.
• Four incidents have been identified, including one formal complaint and three additional reports shared on social media.
• None of the reported incidents involved a collision, injury, or fatality.

AI-generated summary of the original article — see the source for the full story.