By
Ben Shimkus
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Aaron E. Martinez/The Austin American-Statesman via Getty Images
Tesla's self-driving taxis are facing a fresh safety question: are they slowing down when kids are in school?
On Monday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced it had opened a defect-petition review into a claim that 2026 Tesla Model Y robotaxis and Cybercabs exceeded speed limits in school zones while their automated driving systems were active.
An unnamed petitioner submitted three videos in support of the claim, according to the filing, which says the probe was opened on Friday. NHTSA said it will evaluate the complaint before deciding whether to grant or deny a formal investigation.
The agency's filing lists no reported crashes or injuries, and estimates that about 1,000 vehicles could be affected.
Tesla didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
The scrutiny comes as Tesla pushes to turn robotaxis into a much bigger business.
The electric automaker has expanded its self-driving services with the Model Y robotaxis beyond Austin into other Texas cities and Florida. In September, the company added its steering-wheel-free Cybercab to the Austin fleet.
CEO Elon Musk has increasingly shifted Tesla's focus away from traditional vehicle sales toward self-driving, AI, and robotics.
The self-driving rollout previously caught the attention of federal regulators. NHTSA opened an audit inquiry into the Cybercab's self-certification a few hours after the cars started offering services in Austin.
School zones have also tripped up rival robotaxi companies.
Last year, NHTSA opened a preliminary investigation into Waymo after reports that its vehicles passed stopped school buses in Austin and Atlanta. The Google-owned robotaxi company issued a voluntary recall in December.
In January, a Waymo vehicle struck a child near an elementary school in Santa Monica, California. The child had "minor injuries" according to the NHTSA, and, in a statement published on its website, Waymo said the vehicle "braked hard, reducing speed from approximately 17 mph to under 6 mph before contact was made."
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Ben Shimkus
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Ben Shimkus is a reporter for the Business News desk. He writes about cars, transportation, retail, and jobs. Ben's reporting has appeared in Rolling Stone, The Verge, Automotive News, USA Today, AutoBody News, LGBTQ Nation, TopSpeed, and Out Magazine. He's also held staff writing positions at The U.S. Sun and the Daily Mail. He graduated from NYU with a Master's in journalism in 2024. Email Ben at [email protected] or message him privately on Signal at bshimkus.41.
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