GoKawiilNHTSA opens audit into Tesla Cybercab over missing mirrors, pedals and steering wheel
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched an audit query into Tesla's Cybercab, questioning how the company certified the vehicle without sideview mirrors, pedals, or a steering wheel—features normally mandated under federal safety standards. The probe covers roughly 1,000 Cybercabs, though only 45 are currently registered with Texas' DMV, and comes just as Tesla publicly unveiled the vehicle in Austin as part of its Robotaxi rollout.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Automakers in the US self-certify compliance with federal safety rules, so this investigation tests whether Tesla can bypass long-standing requirements without formally seeking an exemption. The outcome could determine whether Cybercab's unconventional design is legal at all, directly affecting Tesla's robotaxi expansion plans and its promised $30,000 consumer version.
- NHTSA is auditing Tesla's certification process for the Cybercab, not just a safety defect.
- The vehicle lacks mirrors, pedals, and a steering wheel, all typically required by federal vehicle standards.
- Tesla appears not to have sought a formal exemption before deploying the vehicle publicly.
Source: theverge.com — Andrew J. Hawkins, 2026-09-04
Published there as: “Tesla Cybercab is barely real and it’s already under investigation”
Read the original report → The summary and analysis above are GoKawiil's own, written from reporting by the source above. Facts and quotes belong to the original publisher.