NHTSA Opens Investigation Into Tesla's Cybercab Hours After Austin Launch
- News
- Rocks on Galaxy
- Tesla
- 05 Sep, 2026
Just hours after Tesla put its first Cybercabs on the streets of Austin, Texas, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced an investigation into the robotaxi, which has no steering wheel or pedals.
Probing the vehicle's certification
The Cybercab lacks manual controls required by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). According to TechCrunch, the probe (reference AQ26002) will "examine the process and technical data on which Tesla relied when certifying the Cybercab."
Self-certification under scrutiny
Tesla told the agency it self-certified the Cybercab as compliant with all FMVSS rules — a common practice among automakers. NHTSA will now assess how much of that certification depended on Tesla's determination that certain federal standards do not apply to the Cybercab.
"NHTSA fully supports the safe development and deployment of automated vehicles. But as the federal regulator, we need to ensure that all of our laws are followed," administrator Jonathan Morrison said in a statement.
A launch that underwhelmed Wall Street
The launch also weighed on the stock: CNBC reported Tesla shares fell about 6% on Friday as investors found the Cybercab update underwhelming.