08:53 25-01-2026

Tesla legal issues in UK for not identifying drivers in speeding cases

Tesla is facing significant legal challenges in the UK due to its passive response to police requests in traffic violation cases. According to the BBC, the company's British subsidiary is now the respondent in multiple cases related to its failure or inability to identify drivers who exceeded speed limits in rented vehicles.

The issue stems from Tesla's active leasing and rental services in the UK, where Tesla Financial Services is the registered owner of the vehicles. Under British law, police must establish the identity of the driver at the time of an offense before proceeding with a speeding case.

Typically, law enforcement sends an official request to the rental company for driver details. If the company fails to respond within the required timeframe or does not provide the necessary information, the responsibility falls on the company itself. This is precisely why legal proceedings have been initiated against Tesla in London, Hampshire, and the Thames Valley region.

An investigation by a British news agency reveals that since the start of 2024, police have initiated at least 18 cases against Tesla, with 17 already concluded in court. In all these instances, the company could not identify the drivers, and the total fines exceeded £20,000, roughly equivalent to 190,000 rubles.

Court documents indicate that in November 2025, Tesla's UK director, Becky Hodgson, sent an email admitting guilt on behalf of the company. The email noted that Tesla attempted to use an online police portal to submit the admission but encountered technical issues. At the time of publication, Tesla had not provided official comments on the situation despite media inquiries.

This episode with UK fines demonstrates that digitalization and business scale do not exempt automakers from strict compliance with local laws. For Tesla, it serves as a warning: even indirect disregard for regulatory requests can lead to reputational and financial losses.