US watchdog opens probe into Tesla's Cybercab self-certification

Tesla's Cybercab's wheels have only just hit the asphalt for its commercial launch and the autonomous vehicle has already attracted the attention of the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The body announced an investigation into Tesla's self-certification of the vehicle at the weekend. Central to the probe is the fact that the Cybercab famously lacks conventional controls. The NHTSA says there are "clear vehicle performance requirements" - stuff like brake controls - that "in order for automakers to access the US market, they must certify that their vehicles meet these standards - subject to oversight from the agency to confirm compliance. When certified vehicles appear to not adhere to these requirements, NHTSA conducts an investigation." The NHTSA is updating the requirements for autonomous vehicles designed never to be operated by a human, but Tesla appears to have jumped the gun somewhat, prompting the agency to open an Audit Query (AQ) just hours after the Cybercab began a commercial rollout on the streets of Austin, Texas. Tesla told the NHTSA that it had certified the Cybercab "as compliant with all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS)." The vehicles lack permanently attached manual controls such as a brake pedal, accelerator, steering wheel, or mirrors. In the AQ, the agency wrote it intended to "examine the process and technical data on which Tesla relied when certifying the Cybercab and related issues. "Among other things, NHTSA will consider the extent to which Tesla's certification depended on determinations that certain FMVSS are inapplicable to the Cybercab." Tesla is not the only company with autonomous vehicles ferrying passengers around on US roads without using conventional controls in the cabin. Amazon tentacle Zoox, for example, was granted a two-year exemption [PDF] at the end of July 2026, with the proviso that "not more than 2,500 exempted vehicles are introduced into interstate commerce for commercial deployment in any 12-month period." There is therefore precedent. However, the NHTSA wants to see how Tesla came up with its self-certification for the Cybercab. NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison said, "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." The agency noted, "When certified vehicles appear to not adhere to these requirements, NHTSA conducts an investigation." (R)