Key Highlights

• NHTSA has closed its 2022 preliminary evaluation into 695,000 Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles over unexpected deceleration.

• Incident reports fell from 300 at the investigation's opening to just three since the start of 2026.

• Tesla released software updates in early 2022 specifically targeting the deceleration issue.

• The closure follows a separate NHTSA probe closure last week covering steering control in roughly 376,000 Tesla vehicles.

A Multi-Year Investigation Reaches Its Conclusion

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced Thursday that it has closed its 2022 preliminary evaluation into approximately 695,000 Tesla vehicles, covering the Model 3 and Model Y, over reports of unexpected deceleration.

The regulator cited low demonstrated hazard to drivers as a central factor in the decision, alongside a substantial decline in reported incidents over the course of the investigation. The closure marks the resolution of one of several safety reviews Tesla has faced in recent years tied to its most widely sold vehicle models.

Software Updates Coincide With Steep Decline in Reports

NHTSA noted that Tesla had released software updates in early 2022 specifically intended to address the unexpected deceleration issue. The timeline of incident reports suggests these updates may have played a meaningful role in reducing occurrences over time.

Reported incidents fell sharply from 300 at the time the investigation was opened to 45 in 2024, then to 19 in 2025, and just three since the start of 2026. This consistent downward trajectory across multiple years provided the regulator with a clear data pattern supporting closure. NHTSA further stated that the reported deceleration conditions did not alter vehicles' lateral lane positioning and did not cause a significant reduction in following distance that could plausibly lead to a collision.

Pattern of Resolved Investigations May Ease Regulatory Overhang

The closure could reduce one source of regulatory uncertainty surrounding Tesla's flagship vehicle lineup, particularly as it follows closely on the heels of a separate investigation closure last week involving an estimated 376,241 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles over loss of steering control. Two consecutive investigation closures in short succession may suggest improving confidence from the regulator in Tesla's remediation efforts across multiple reported defect categories.

However, the closure of these specific probes does not necessarily preclude future investigations tied to other reported issues, and Tesla's rapid vehicle production scale means new safety inquiries could emerge independent of past resolutions. Whether this pattern of closures meaningfully shifts broader investor or regulatory sentiment toward Tesla's safety record over time remains uncertain.

Conclusion

NHTSA's closure of the multi-year deceleration investigation, following a steep and sustained decline in reported incidents, marks a notable resolution for Tesla's Model 3 and Model Y lineup. Combined with last week's closure of a separate steering control probe, the outcome may ease some near-term regulatory overhang facing the company. Future safety reviews, if any emerge, are likely to be assessed independently of this closure's specific findings.