U.S. safety regulators have granted Tesla additional time to respond to extensive questions regarding alleged traffic violations involving its automated driving system. Federal authorities extended the deadline by five weeks after the automaker said it could not complete its review within the original timeframe.

The investigation is being led by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which has been examining Tesla’s so-called Full Self-Driving (FSD) system since October. Regulators have pointed to dozens of incidents in which Tesla vehicles allegedly ran red lights, drove into oncoming traffic, or committed other potentially dangerous maneuvers.

Regulators seek answers on thousands of incidents

Last month, NHTSA sent Tesla a detailed list of questions, requesting information on customer complaints, insurance claims, legal disputes, and lawsuits that may be linked to these incidents. On January 12, Tesla informed regulators that it needed more time to process reports of traffic violations potentially tied to the investigation.

According to documents published by the agency, 8,313 records still require manual review. Tesla said its team can analyze roughly 300 records per day, prompting the deadline to be pushed back to February 23.

FSD is a critical bet for Elon Musk

The success of FSD has become increasingly crucial for Tesla. CEO Elon Musk has long positioned the technology as a key driver of future growth, particularly after two consecutive years of declining vehicle deliveries. Musk frequently highlights the performance of Tesla’s driver-assistance and autonomy features.

California regulators, however, have pushed back, arguing that Tesla’s marketing may create the impression that its vehicles are more autonomous than they actually are. The state has previously warned that it could impose a temporary ban on Tesla vehicle sales if it determines that consumers are being misled.

Separate probe examines visibility issues

In addition to traffic-violation concerns, NHTSA is also investigating whether Tesla vehicles can properly detect and respond to conditions such as bright sunlight, fog, and other visibility-reducing environments. This separate probe was launched in October 2024 following several crashes, including one that resulted in a fatality.

In its request for more time, Tesla said it is overwhelmed by the volume of regulatory inquiries. Handling three major information requests nearly simultaneously is “unduly burdensome and affects the quality of responses,” the company said, according to documents reviewed by Bloomberg.

More delays may follow

Tesla also signaled that it may seek additional deadline extensions. Once it completes a high-level review of traffic-violation reports, the company plans to request more time to conduct a deeper investigation into each complaint. That process would include details such as which version of the FSD software was running, whether drivers received warnings before violations occurred, and whether any crashes, injuries, or fatalities were reported.

NHTSA has requested detailed timelines for each incident, covering the 30 seconds before the first violation through the moment the driver regained control, the final violation occurred, or a crash took place.

Congress turns attention to electric car doors

Meanwhile, safety concerns around electric vehicles are also reaching Capitol Hill. Congresswoman Robin Kelly of Illinois has introduced legislation that would require automakers to include clearly marked manual door-opening mechanisms in new vehicles equipped with electronic door systems.

The proposal would mandate that mechanical latches be intuitive and easily accessible for passengers, and that vehicles include methods for first responders to gain entry during power failures. This marks the first time Congress has moved to address concerns related to electronic car doors—systems that Tesla helped popularize. The bill follows several incidents in which people were seriously injured or killed after becoming trapped in vehicles when electronic doors failed to open.

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