Tesla Cybercab Faces Safety Probe

Tesla announced plans to begin customer sales of its autonomous Cybercab by the end of the year. However, federal regulators have initiated an investigation into the vehicle's compliance with safety standards, particularly concerning its lack of a steering wheel and other manual controls. Initially, the Cybercabs produced will serve Tesla's own robotaxi fleet. The company intends to gradually scale its autonomous vehicle operations, learning from fleet management and ownership experiences.

Tesla had previously signaled interest in selling the autonomous vehicle to external parties. Elon Musk has long envisioned a large fleet of affordable robotaxis, shifting from earlier plans of converting privately owned Teslas. Currently, Tesla offers a supervised advanced driver-assistance system, still requiring human oversight. An unsupervised version of this system is anticipated for customers in the second quarter, though this faces another delay.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched its probe into the Cybercab shortly after it began operating on Austin's public roads. Current Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards mandate features like brake pedals and mirrors, which the Cybercab's design omits. While automakers self-certify compliance, new Department of Transportation proposals aim to adjust these rules for autonomous vehicles.