- Tesla received a five-week extension to respond to a U.S. probe of its “full self-driving” feature.
- The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration collected reports of red-light violations, wrong-way driving, weaving, and crashes that caused injuries.
- Shares rose slightly on the news, trimming a 1.08% weekly decline; the stock trades near its 52-week high and above its 200-day average.
- Analysts expect increased robotaxi testing and rapid deployment ahead of the planned Cybercab launch; Morningstar’s Seth Goldstein said the testing progress aligns with management remarks.
- Analysts hold a consensus rating of Hold on TSLA, based on 13 Buys, nine Holds, and eight Sells; the $393.89 average price target implies about 8% downside.
Shares in Tesla were modestly higher on Friday after the U.S. safety regulator granted the company more time to answer questions about its driver-assist system. The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration gave a five-week extension, moving the response deadline to February 23 from an original January 19, 2025 date.
The probe into the automaker’s “full self-driving” feature opened in October 2025 and stems from dozens of incident reports. Regulators said some vehicles ran red lights or drove on the wrong side of the road and were sometimes observed weaving and crashing into other vehicles, causing injuries.
Market reaction was muted: shares gained a fraction of a percent on Friday, shaving into a 1.08% decline recorded over the prior week. At the time of reporting, the stock traded near the top of its 52-week range and remained above its 200-day simple moving average.
Wall Street analysts expect Tesla to ramp up testing of autonomous taxis as it readies a Cybercab model for launch this year. “The news that Tesla is testing robotaxis without the safety monitors is in line with our expectations that the company is making progress in its testing, in line with management’s statements during the third quarter earnings call,” said Seth Goldstein, senior equity analyst at Morningstar.
Analysts currently maintain a Hold consensus on TSLA, reflecting 13 Buys, nine Holds and eight Sells issued in the past three months. After a roughly 6% rally in the past year, the average price target of $393.89 implies about 8% downside from current levels.
✅ Follow BITNEWSBOT on Telegram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X.com, and Google News for instant updates.
