NHTSA opens investigation into Tesla Cybercab after Austin launch without manual controls

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it had started an audit query into Tesla’s self-certification that the Cybercab meets all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. In a notice, NHTSA said the vehicle “lacks permanently attached, conventional manual controls, such as a brake pedal, gas pedal, steering wheel and mirrors,” and would examine “the process and technical data on which Tesla relied when certifying the Cybercab and related issues.” The agency said it would consider the extent to which Tesla’s certification depended on findings that certain FMVSS requirements do not apply to the vehicle. Tesla did not appear to have sought an exemption, according to The Verge.

Tesla began commercial service with a small number of Cybercabs on Thursday after a private event in Austin, and it has said it plans to expand to other cities and eventually sell the vehicle to private customers for roughly $30,000, The Verge reported. NHTSA’s inquiry covers an estimated 1,000 Cybercabs, but state registration records point to a much smaller number actually deployed. Citing Reuters, Engadget reported that Tesla had registered 420 autonomous vehicles in Texas, 45 of them Cybercabs; The Verge also said 45 Cybercabs were registered with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. It was not clear how many of those were carrying passengers or used for testing. Tesla is also offering robotaxi rides in Dallas, Houston, Miami, Orlando and Tampa using Model Y vehicles, according to Engadget.

Federal motor vehicle safety standards require manual controls, though the Department of Transportation recently proposed removing those requirements for vehicles designed to be operated autonomously. Automakers customarily self-certify that their models comply with FMVSS, and NHTSA can open an audit when concerns arise. The audit does not stop production or deployment, but it casts doubt on the Cybercab’s regulatory standing.

The Verge noted a closely watched precedent. Amazon’s Zoox put a steering-wheel-free autonomous shuttle into use in 2024 after self-certifying compliance, NHTSA investigated, and Zoox was allowed to operate only for demonstrations until this July, when the agency let it carry paying passengers. That history raises the question of whether Tesla can charge fares in the Cybercab while the investigation remains open, although NHTSA has not announced any restriction. In a separate action, NHTSA is also investigating 3.2 million Tesla vehicles equipped with Full Self-Driving, a probe that could lead to a recall, The Verge reported. The publication added that Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who oversees NHTSA, has had strained relations with Tesla chief executive Elon Musk — who has reportedly called him “Sean Dummy” — and that no favorable treatment should be expected despite Musk’s political donations.