Tesla Claims Its Cybercab Meets Road Rules—Now Regulators Want Proof

Tesla has publicly asserted that its Cybercab robotaxi is fully compliant with street-legal requirements, but U.S. federal safety regulators are not taking that claim at face value. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has asked the automaker to explain how it reached that conclusion, demanding details on the self-certification process behind the vehicle.

According to a report from InsideEVs, the agency set a deadline at the close of the month for Tesla to respond to its questions about the Cybercab’s regulatory paperwork. The request suggests regulators are scrutinizing whether a vehicle with no steering wheel or pedals can truly satisfy existing Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, which were largely written with human-driven cars in mind.

Tesla has not yet publicly addressed the specifics of the inquiry. The outcome could set a precedent for how autonomous vehicles without traditional controls are certified in the future, and whether self-certification remains sufficient for such designs.