The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation from the first day of the Cybercab's commercial launch, Tesla's steering wheel- and pedal-less electric vehicle intended for autonomous taxi services. The audit aims to determine the process and technical data Tesla relied on to certify the vehicle and the inherent problems. NHTSA conducts investigations when self-declared vehicles appear not to comply with federal standards.
Federal regulations currently require the presence of steering wheel and pedals for any commercial operation, except in cases of exemptions like the one obtained by Zoox (Amazon) in late July. According to a source close to the process, Tesla did not request such an exemption. The company had notified the agency that it self-declared that its Cybercab vehicles complied with all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS).
The current Cybercab fleet is estimated at around 1,000 vehicles. According to the FSD Database, Tesla had registered 314 robotaxis as of Thursday, including 45 Cybercabs. The service currently operates in a very limited area of Austin, where Tesla's headquarters is located. NHTSA warned that, until the standards review work is completed, existing standards remain in force.
The Cybercab with a coupè style and golden body was unveiled at a Hollywood studio in October 2024. Before the vehicle was finalized, Tesla used Model Y SUVs equipped with autonomous driving software to offer robotaxi services since June 2025. The service began in Austin with a limited area and selected customers, later being expanded to the public and to other cities such as Orlando, Tampa, Miami, Dallas, Houston, and San Francisco.
