NHTSA Opens Probe Into Tesla Cybercab Certification

Tesla’s Cybercab is a purpose-built, two-seat electric robotaxi with no steering wheel, brake pedal, accelerator pedal or conventional mirrors. The design is central to Chief Executive Elon Musk’s plan to scale autonomous ride-hailing, but it also tests a U.S. regulatory system written largely for vehicles with human controls. Automakers self-certify compliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, while the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration can audit those claims and demand supporting engineering data.

Tesla began commercial Cybercab rides in Austin, Texas, on Sept. 3, 2026. NHTSA said on Sept. 4 that it had opened an Audit Query into Tesla’s certification, covering an estimated nearly 1,000 vehicles, after the model entered service without permanently attached manual controls. Texas records showed 420 Tesla autonomous vehicles registered as of Friday morning, including only 45 Cybercabs; most of the fleet consisted of conventional Model Ys using Tesla’s Full Self-Driving software. The inquiry will determine whether the Cybercab meets all applicable federal safety standards.