Tesla faces a federal investigation after NHTSA discovered the company was reporting Autopilot and Full Self-Driving crashes months late instead of within the required five-day window. With Tesla accounting for 40 of 43 fatal autonomous driving crashes since 2021, the timing violations raise fresh questions about transparency in the company's ambitious self-driving program.
Tesla is scrambling to explain systematic delays in reporting crashes involving its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving technology, with federal regulators now launching a formal investigation into the company's compliance practices. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed that Tesla was taking "several months or more" to report incidents that should be disclosed within five days, according to agency statements.
The timing couldn't be worse for Tesla as the company pushes to expand its Full Self-Driving capabilities nationwide. NHTSA data shows Tesla has reported over 2,300 crashes since federal reporting requirements began in 2021, representing the vast majority of autonomous driving incidents. More troubling for the company, Tesla vehicles accounted for 40 of the 43 fatal crashes reported under the Standing General Order, highlighting the stakes involved in accurate and timely reporting.
"The delays were the result of a problem with its data collection that has since been fixed," Tesla told NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, according to the agency. But regulators aren't taking the company's word for it. NHTSA is proceeding with a standard audit investigation "to ensure the company is doing everything by the book," signaling deeper scrutiny of Tesla's safety practices.
The federal reporting requirements stem from a 2021 standing general order that mandates automakers and robotaxi companies disclose crashes involving Level 2 driver-assist systems and fully autonomous vehicles. Under these rules, companies must document any collision where automated driving systems were active within 30 seconds of impact and report those incidents to federal authorities within one to five days.
