Tesla Cybercab Safety Audit Opened by NHTSA

NHTSA Opens Audit Into Tesla Cybercab Safety Certification

On September 3, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it opened an audit into an estimated 1,000 Tesla Inc Cybercab vehicles. The agency is examining the process and technical data that Tesla Inc relied on when certifying the vehicles as compliant with applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). The review comes as the Cybercab begins commercial deployment, making the vehicle’s regulatory certification and interpretation of federal safety requirements a significant focus for regulators as deployment expands.

Unconventional Controls Under Regulatory Review

The Cybercab vehicles under review lack permanently attached conventional manual controls, including a brake pedal, gas pedal, steering wheel, and mirrors. NHTSA said it will consider, among other issues, the extent to which Tesla’s certification depended on determinations that certain Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards were inapplicable to the Cybercab. This assessment places particular attention on the technical and regulatory basis used to demonstrate compliance for a vehicle designed without several traditional driver-control components found in conventional vehicles.

Commercial Deployment Begins in Austin

Tesla notified NHTSA that it began commercial deployment of a small number of Cybercab vehicles on September 3 in Austin, Texas. The company also told the agency that it plans to gradually expand commercial deployment to additional vehicles and locations. The timing of the audit therefore coincides with the initial commercial rollout of the Cybercab and could provide NHTSA with an opportunity to examine the certification approach as the vehicle moves from limited deployment toward broader commercial operation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did NHTSA open an audit into the Tesla Cybercab?
NHTSA opened the audit to examine how Tesla certified the Cybercab as compliant with federal vehicle safety requirements despite its unconventional vehicle controls. The agency is reviewing the process and technical data supporting that certification, including Tesla’s determinations about which Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards may apply to the vehicle. The review covers an estimated 1,000 vehicles and comes as commercial deployment begins in Austin, Texas. NHTSA will also consider how Tesla’s compliance approach relates to the Cybercab’s lack of permanently attached conventional pedals, steering wheel, and mirrors.