GoKawiilNHTSA opens probe into Tesla's driverless Cybercab days after Austin rollout
Tesla began operating its first Cybercabs, which have no steering wheel or pedals, on Austin streets, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched an investigation just hours later. Only 45 Cybercabs are currently registered in Texas, and CEO Elon Musk was notably absent from the vehicle's public debut event, which drew a muted response from investors.
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Tesla self-certified the Cybercab under standard vehicle rules even though federal regulations still require manual controls like brake pedals, putting it in a legal gray zone the Department of Transportation has only proposed to change. The outcome of this scrutiny could determine whether Tesla can scale its robotaxi ambitions or faces regulatory roadblocks that rivals like Waymo have already navigated.
- NHTSA opened a probe into Tesla hours after Cybercabs hit Austin roads without steering wheels or pedals.
- Only 45 Cybercabs are registered in Texas so far, far behind Waymo's scale.
- Musk's absence from the launch event and Wall Street's muted reaction raise doubts about Tesla's robotaxi momentum.
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Published there as: “TechCrunch Mobility: Tesla Cybercab hits the road — and a snag”
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