Tesla’s Cybercab Faces NHTSA Audit Just as Passenger Rides Begin in Austin

Tesla’s driverless Cybercab has drawn federal scrutiny almost immediately after entering service. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched an audit into how the company certified the vehicle, doing so on the very same day passengers began riding in it in Austin.

At the heart of the inquiry is what sets the Cybercab apart from conventional cars: it lacks a steering wheel, pedals, and side mirrors. Despite those omissions, Tesla declared the vehicle road-legal.

The timing puts Tesla’s robotaxi ambitions under a regulatory microscope from the outset, raising questions about the certification path the automaker used for a design that departs sharply from traditional vehicle norms.