NHTSA Investigates Tesla Over Delayed Crash Reporting for Autopilot and FSD
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into Tesla's compliance with federal crash reporting requirements for its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving systems. Tesla reportedly submitted crash reports several months late, violating regulations that require submission within one to five days, and attributed the delays to a data collection issue that the company stated has been fixed.
What happened
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced on August 21, 2025, that it would investigate Tesla's delays in submitting crash reports involving Autopilot and Full Self-Driving systems. The regulator identified numerous crash reports from Tesla that arrived several months or more after the incidents occurred, when regulations require submission within one to five days of receiving notice of a crash.
Tesla submitted the delayed reports either in single batches or on a rolling basis. In discussions with NHTSA, Tesla indicated that the timing of the reports was due to an issue with Tesla's data collection, which the company stated has now been fixed.
Reported impact
NHTSA is opening an audit query to evaluate the cause of the potential delays in reporting, the scope of any such delays, and the mitigations Tesla has developed to address them. The regulator is also reviewing whether any reports of prior incidents remained outstanding and whether submitted reports included all required and available data.
Governance controls
Car companies are required by regulations to report crashes involving autonomous or advanced driver-assistance systems within one to five days of being notified of a crash. In April, NHTSA revised these reporting requirements.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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