NHTSA opens investigation into Tesla Cybercabs after Austin debut
Tesla’s steering-wheel-free Cybercabs entered Austin streets as US regulators weigh whether current manual-control rules fit fully autonomous vehicles.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into Tesla after the company deployed its first Cybercabs on Austin streets, according to TechCrunch.
The vehicles lack steering wheels and pedals, including brake pedals. Current US federal vehicle-safety regulations require manual controls, while the Department of Transportation has proposed removing those requirements for purpose-built autonomous vehicles. That proposal is not final.
Tesla self-certified the Cybercabs, following the standard route used by automakers for traditional human-driven vehicles. The company may continue operating the vehicles while the investigation proceeds, although the source does not establish whether it will do so.
Texas’s automated-vehicle tracker listed 45 registered Cybercabs as of the source’s publication. The Austin debut failed to impress Wall Street, while Tesla chief executive Elon Musk did not attend the event. NHTSA’s formal scope, legal basis and likely outcome were not specified.
