NHTSA Demands Tesla Swear Its Cybercab Meets Federal Safety Rules

Federal regulators have formally challenged Tesla’s plan to sell a vehicle built around a steering-wheel-free design. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a Special Order on September 10 requiring the automaker to demonstrate—under oath—how the Cybercab satisfies crash-safety standards originally drafted with human drivers in mind. Because the vehicle lacks a steering wheel, pedals and mirrors, the agency wants a detailed explanation of how it can be legally certified.

Tesla has until September 30 to deliver a complete and truthful response. The stakes are substantial: failure to answer fully could expose the company to penalties reaching up to $139 million. The order effectively turns a design debate into a regulatory test case, since federal motor vehicle safety standards have long assumed a human behind the wheel.

The Cybercab is central to Tesla’s ambitions in autonomous ride-hailing, so any delay in certification could ripple through those plans. The company has not yet publicly detailed how it intends to satisfy the agency’s questions. For now, the September 30 deadline marks the next milestone in a process that could shape how self-driving vehicles without traditional controls are approved in the United States.