Tesla’s regulatory team received a five‑week extension from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to submit additional evidence in the investigation of its Full‑Self‑Driving (FSD) system. The extension, granted on January 16, 2026, pushes the deadline for Tesla’s response to February 23, 2026.
The probe, which began in October 2025, covers roughly 2.88 million vehicles equipped with FSD. NHTSA has received 62 complaints and identified at least 58 incidents involving traffic‑law violations, including red‑light running, wrong‑direction driving, and improper lane changes. Tesla must review 8,313 records related to these incidents, a task that the company estimates can be completed at a rate of about 300 records per day.
Tesla cited the volume of records and the concurrent workload from other NHTSA investigations—such as those on delayed crash reporting and inoperative door handles—as the primary reasons for the extension request. The company’s request was filed on January 12, 2026, and the agency’s approval came four days later.
California regulators have also weighed in, accusing Tesla of overstating FSD capabilities and threatening a 30‑day sales suspension. In parallel, Tesla announced that it will discontinue the sale of FSD as a one‑time purchase and will offer the feature exclusively through a monthly subscription starting February 14, 2026. The shift to a subscription model is intended to streamline revenue and align the software with ongoing regulatory oversight.
The outcome of the NHTSA investigation could influence Tesla’s robotaxi ambitions, as the company’s plans for autonomous ride‑hailing services rely on a fully compliant and safe FSD platform. A favorable resolution would support the rollout of robotaxi fleets, while a negative finding could delay or alter the company’s strategy for autonomous commercial operations.
The extension underscores the heightened regulatory scrutiny surrounding Tesla’s autonomous‑driving technology. It signals that the agency is closely monitoring the safety and compliance of FSD, and it places additional pressure on Tesla to accelerate its data‑review process and address identified violations before the new deadline.
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