The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced on Thursday that it has launched an investigation on Tesla regarding potential delays in reporting vehicle crashes that involve advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) or self-driving vehicles.
The regulator is auditing Tesla after finding that multiple incidents were reported several months after they occurred.
According to a 2021 order imposed by the authority, the reports should be submitted in the space of one to five days,
The agency will evaluate the cause of the delay and determine whether Tesla has adopted any mitigation measures to address the issue.
Four years ago, the US Department of Transportation and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) ordered manufacturers and operators of vehicles equipped with SAE Level 2 ADAS or SAE Levels 3-5 automated driving systems (ADS) to report crashes.
The order required companies to report crashes that occurred in public US roads within one day of learning of the crash when it involved “a hospital-treated injury, a fatality, a vehicle tow-away, an air bag deployment, or a vulnerable road user such as a pedestrian or bicyclist.”
Manufacturers must submit an updated report within 10 days of an incident. They are also required to file a monthly report on any crashes involving an ADS-equipped vehicle that caused injury or property damage.
In the beginning of 2025, the NHTSA had opened a probe into 2.6 million Tesla vehicles in the US, over reports of crashes involving the Actually Smart Summon feature.
The feature was launched in September and allows users to remotely move their vehicle towards them or another location using a smartphone application.
In October 2024, the agency had also opened a new investigation into 2.4 million Teslas equipped with the Full Self-Driving (FSD) after four reported collisions, including a fatal 2023 crash.
Earlier this month, the NHTSA revealed that they contacted Tesla requesting a drive on the company’s robotaxi service in Austin, after Bloomberg reported earlier in June that the regulator was investigating whether the robotaxi service violated traffic laws on its first day offering paid rides.
The regulator questioned Tesla regarding its driverless ride-hailing fleet in Austin, as well as the company’s plans for a public launch.
Tesla‘s CEO Elon Musk has since said that the public release of the service is scheduled for next month.
