NHTSA Questions Tesla Cybercab Safety Certification

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has formally questioned Tesla's self-certification of its Cybercab robotaxi, demanding the company explain how the vehicle, which lacks a steering wheel, pedals, and mirrors, complies with federal safety standards. In a letter sent on September 10, 2026, the agency gave Tesla until September 30 to provide sworn answers to 21 detailed questions about the certification process. The inquiry follows the commercial launch of a small Cybercab fleet in Austin, Texas, on September 3. The two-passenger vehicle is designed to operate without a human driver and does not have conventional controls. Before deployment, Tesla self-certified that the Cybercab met all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. NHTSA opened an investigation shortly after the launch to examine the technical basis for that claim. The agency's questions focus on several key compliance issues. It asks whether a human can drive the Cybercab using temporarily attached controls and, if so, whether those controls were part of the original certification.