NEW YORK, Jan 16, 2026, 16:02 EST — After-hours
- Tesla shares edged up roughly 0.2% on Friday, staying close to $440.
- U.S. auto safety regulators have set a Feb. 23 deadline for Tesla to respond in their investigation into FSD-related traffic violations.
- With a holiday-shortened week ahead, traders face a heavy options expiry and Tesla’s earnings report set for Jan. 28.
Tesla shares edged up about 0.2% to $439.45 in Friday’s session, after U.S. auto safety regulators granted the company a five-week extension—pushing the deadline to Feb. 23—to respond to an investigation into whether its Full Self-Driving software led cars to break traffic laws. The stock fluctuated between $435.36 and $447.09.
The extension puts Tesla’s driver-assistance goals back under regulatory scrutiny at a tricky time for the stock. A large chunk of Tesla’s long-term value hinges on software and autonomous driving, so probes linked to that story can quickly shift investor sentiment.
U.S. markets face a holiday-shortened week, with stock and bond trading paused on Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. That leaves less time for traders to adjust positions following Friday’s close.
Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, announced this week that starting Feb. 14, the company will offer its Full Self-Driving software exclusively through a monthly subscription, ending the $8,000 one-time purchase option in the U.S. Tesla’s FSD remains a driver-assistance system requiring drivers to stay alert and ready to take control. The company now labels it “Supervised” for passenger vehicles. Reuters
Friday’s monthly options expiration introduced another wild card. A large portion of Tesla’s open options contracts were set to expire, which, according to Mike Khouw, strategist at YieldMax ETFs, means “options are probably going to weigh more heavily on the price action of the underlying asset.” Reuters
Hyundai Motor Group is moving fast in the race for the “next big thing” inside carmakers. The company announced it will bring on Milan Kovac, who previously led Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot project, as an adviser. They also plan to nominate him as an outside director at Boston Dynamics, Hyundai’s U.S. robotics arm. Reuters
The five-week reprieve doesn’t shut the door entirely. The safety review could still widen into a more extensive investigation, potentially forcing Tesla to alter how it markets or runs its driver-assistance features. Such a move would challenge Tesla’s efforts to boost recurring software revenue.
Investors are turning their focus to Tesla’s quarterly report due Jan. 28, zeroing in on the company’s guidance. Analysts will be watching closely for details on software revenue and any commentary on regulatory risks tied to its driver-assistance technology.
