Overview
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened defect‑petition file DP26010 to evaluate a complaint that 2026 Model Y robotaxis and Cybercabs drove faster than posted limits in active school zones.
- The petition, received by NHTSA on September 23 and placed into the Office of Defects Investigation on October 9, includes three social‑media videos and cites four incidents with no reported crashes or injuries.
- NHTSA estimates about 1,000 2026 Model Y and Cybercab vehicles could be covered by the petition, a first federal indication of the rough size of Tesla’s robotaxi fleet.
- Separately, NHTSA is auditing how Tesla self‑certified the Cybercab, a vehicle built without a steering wheel, pedals, or mirrors, and has ordered sworn answers from the company with responses due after an extension to October 30.
- Under federal rules NHTSA has 120 days from receipt to grant or deny the petition, which sets a decision window that runs to around January 21, 2027 and could lead to a formal investigation or a recall if defects are found.