Tesla robotaxis face US safety review over school zone speeding claims

US auto-safety regulators are looking into whether Tesla’s driverless taxis go too fast near schools. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is reviewing a defect petition that covers approximately 1,000 Tesla vehicles. The petition alleges that the company’s robotaxis exceed posted speed limits inside active school zones, and it includes video evidence. What the petition claims The vehicles in question are 2026 model year Model Y units and Cybercabs. Both make up part of the fleet Tesla uses for its robotaxi ambitions. A concerned party filed the petition, and NHTSA announced it on October 12, 2026. The core allegation is simple: when school zone speed limits are in effect, these cars allegedly don’t slow down enough. Still, this is not yet a formal investigation. NHTSA has said it will evaluate the petition to decide whether a full probe is warranted. That distinction carries weight. Most defect petitions never progress to a full investigation. As of October 12, 2026, no formal investigation or recall had been launched in response to this latest filing. A growing stack of regulatory attention The petition lands while NHTSA is already auditing how the Cybercab ...