The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has recently taken action against Tesla, sending a detailed information request to the company regarding its upcoming robotaxi service and the safety of its self-driving technology. This move comes as the agency closely monitors Tesla’s plan to launch a fleet of autonomous Model Y vehicles in Austin, Texas this June, which could potentially operate with limited or no human supervision.
In the letter dated May 8, 2025, addressed to Tesla’s Director of Field Quality, NHTSA is specifically investigating Full Self-Driving (FSD) Supervised collisions in poor visibility conditions such as fog, rain, dust, or darkness. The agency has outlined a series of inquiries that Tesla must address, including providing details on the software used for robotaxi operations, plans for testing and deployment, monitoring methods, sensor and safety system descriptions, operational design domain (ODD) parameters, emergency response protocols, and ongoing performance monitoring.
Tesla has until June 19, 2025, to respond to NHTSA’s information request. Failure to comply could result in significant daily fines and maximum penalties amounting to nearly $140 million. The investigation reflects NHTSA’s growing concerns over Tesla’s aggressive rollout of self-driving technologies, especially as the company aims to launch robotaxis by 2026.
Despite Tesla’s ongoing internal testing with employees in Austin and the San Francisco Bay Area, NHTSA is seeking clarity on Tesla’s timeline for expanding the robotaxi service and whether it aligns with the company’s ambitious goals. The outcome of this investigation could have far-reaching implications for Tesla’s autonomous vehicle initiatives and the broader development of self-driving technology in the automotive industry. It remains to be seen how Tesla will navigate these regulatory challenges and address NHTSA’s concerns in the coming weeks.