NHTSA Opens Review Over Tesla Robotaxis Speeding in School Zones The U.S. regulator is studying reports that Tesla's autonomous vehicles are exceeding speed limits in active school zones and is investigating whether formal enforcement action is needed. The review examines data from the 2026 Model Y and Cybercab robotaxis, as part of a broader scrutiny over the company's safety certification process for its driverless vehicles. The investigation follows earlier recalls and regulatory questions over Tesla's robotaxi operations and the broader robotaxi industry, including similar incidents involving Waymo. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a formal review to decide whether to begin a detailed investigation into allegations that Tesla's driver‑assist vehicles are speeding through school zones. The complaint targets the 2026 Model Y and the Cybercab robotaxis, all of which are operating with Tesla's Full Self‑Driving system turned on. According to preliminary data, roughly one thousand cars could be implicated. The petitioner supplies three video clips that show the vehicles exceeding speed limits inside active school zones. NHTSA has logged four separate incidents that involved the high‑speed behavior, but none have resulted in crashes, injuries or fatalities.Tesla Robotaxis Under ReviewThe agency is still weighing the evidence to determine if a full investigation is warranted. The move comes a little more than a month after Tesla began offering public rides in its Cybercab in Austin on September 3. It is not the first time the company's robotaxis have attracted scrutiny from regulators.On the same day that the Cybercab opened to riders, the NHTSA launched a separate review to examine how Tesla certifies that the vehicle complies with federal safety standards, even though it lacks many of the conventional controls-such as steering wheels, pedals and mirrors-found on traditional cars. In that review, officials are assessing the technical data Tesla used for certification and asking whether the company has justified that certain Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards do not apply to the Cybercab.Some of those standards normally require conventional driving controls. In July, the agency approved Tesla to deploy up to 2,500 robotaxis each year for a two‑year period. NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison noted at that time that the field‑test results indicated the Cybercab's design offers an equivalent safety level to a vehicle that meets all the required FMVSS.Waymo Recall Issues HighlightedTesla has not authorized any recalls for the issue raised in this petition, but last year the company was shown to have issued a recall for over three thousand Waymo vehicle units that had been illegally passing stopping school buses that were flashing their red lights. Subsequent reports suggested similar incidents continued. Earlier this year the NHTSA opened another investigation into a Waymo robotaxi incident in which the autonomous vehicle failed to obey a school bus at a crosswalk.All of these episodes underscore the regulatory and technical challenges that remain as driverless technology scales toward wider adoption. The newly opened review highlights the persistent kinks that the industry must iron out as it pushes for greater share of the urban transit market without compromising safety near the most vulnerable road users.