The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has granted Tesla more time to respond to its ongoing investigation into the company's Full Self-Driving system. The agency extended the deadline to February 23 after Tesla requested additional time to manually review thousands of records. This probe examines whether Tesla vehicles using FSD have committed traffic violations.

NHTSA opened its preliminary evaluation in October and sent Tesla a comprehensive information request in December. The investigation follows 62 consumer complaints and other reports connecting Tesla vehicles to alleged traffic violations. Tesla stated it must review 8,313 records, processing about 300 daily, while simultaneously managing other NHTSA probes into crash reporting and door handles.

The extension highlights the growing regulatory scrutiny facing Tesla's autonomous driving ambitions. As the company pushes broader FSD adoption, these investigations could influence future safety standards for all automakers. The outcome may affect Tesla's software development timeline and its public messaging about autonomous capabilities. Investors and industry watchers will monitor the February deadline closely.