NHTSA opened a defect petition into Tesla robotaxis speeding in school zones

NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened a defect petition proceeding, DP26010, covering Tesla’s robotaxi fleet. The agency’s resume gives the date opened as October 9. The document reached the agency’s public investigation store on October 12, which is when it could first be read.

The resume names the manufacturer as Tesla and the products as model year 2026 Tesla Robotaxi, covering the Model Y and the Cybercab, with an estimated population of 1,000 vehicles. Its subject field reads “Exceeds posted speed limits in active school zones.”

ODI said it had received the petition on September 23 requesting an investigation into those vehicles with the automated driving system engaged, and that the petitioner alleged the system exceeds posted speed limits in active school zones. The petitioner supplied three links to video footage as supporting evidence. The agency said the petition had been opened to evaluate the allegations and determine whether to grant or deny it, and said the petition itself can be reviewed under ODI number 11766676.

The failure report summary lists four incidents in total: one ODI complaint and three recorded under “other,” which the resume describes as social media reports included in the petition. No manufacturer reports and no early warning death and injury reports were counted. Crashes and fires, injury incidents and fatality incidents are each listed as zero.

Opening a defect petition commits the agency to evaluating the allegations. It is not a finding that a defect exists, and the resume records no step beyond that evaluation.