No Steering Wheel, No Mirrors: Why Musk's Tesla Cybercab Is Facing US Scrutiny After Launch

Tesla’s push to expand its driverless robotaxi business has run into a regulatory hurdle, with US auto-safety authorities examining whether its new Cybercab vehicles comply with federal safety requirements.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on Friday opened an investigation covering about 1,000 Cybercab vehicles after its launch.

The regulator is reviewing the technical data and certification process Tesla used to determine that the vehicles meet applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), as per a report by Reuters.

Why Is NHTSA Investigating Tesla’s Cybercab?

The two-seat Cybercab is fundamentally different from conventional cars because it does not have permanently attached manual controls, including a steering wheel, brake pedal, accelerator pedal or mirrors.

NHTSA said it would examine the basis for Tesla’s certification, including how the company concluded that certain federal safety standards did not apply to the vehicle.

The investigation comes just as Tesla began commercial deployment of a limited number of Cybercabs in Austin, Texas, on Thursday.

The company has said it plans to gradually add more vehicles and expand the service to other locations.

What Makes The Cybercab Different?

Unlike Tesla’s Model Y-based robotaxis already operating in parts of Texas and Florida, the Cybercab has no conventional controls for a human driver.

The Model Y robotaxis still have steering wheels, pedals and other equipment required under existing federal rules.

Tesla began manufacturing the Cybercab in April with Chief Executive Elon Musk previously saying that production would increase rapidly, while the company had also indicated that the vehicle could eventually be sold for less than $30,000.

Can Tesla Deploy Without Traditional Controls?

US regulations allow manufacturers to self-certify that vehicles comply with federal safety standards rather than obtaining advance approval from NHTSA.

However, vehicles that do not meet those standards can require an exemption.

NHTSA can grant exemptions allowing a manufacturer to deploy up to 2,500 such vehicles a year.

Tesla’s engineering chief Lars Moravy has said the Cybercab would not be subject to that limit, although Tesla had not previously applied for such an exemption, per Reuters.

The issue could therefore turn on how Tesla interprets existing rules and whether NHTSA accepts that interpretation.

Could This Become A Bigger Fight?

Any dispute over Tesla’s self-certification could eventually reach the courts, potentially creating a prolonged regulatory battle over the future deployment of vehicles without conventional driving controls.

Autonomous-vehicle safety expert Philip Koopman said that Tesla historically has tested limits and pushed boundaries on regulations. "I fully expect Tesla to test the limits," he said, as per Reuters.

Another expert, Michael Brooks, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, said, "I don't think there is a reasonable interpretation that can be made to suggest that the Cybercab can comply with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards," per the Reuters report.