Musk pushes regulatory limits with Tesla's Cybercab robotaxi service
Tesla said the 2-seat robotaxi is entering its fleet as regulators review whether about 1,000 vehicles meet federal safety standards.
- On Thursday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an audit of about 1,000 Cybercab vehicles to investigate whether Tesla's steering-wheel-free taxis comply with federal safety regulations following the Austin launch.
- Federal rules require manual controls for road vehicles, but Tesla relied on self-certification to deploy the two-seater Cybercabs, which lack steering wheels, mirrors, or brake pedals.
- Engineering professor Philip Koopman of Carnegie Mellon University warned Tesla may attempt to "flood the market" using creative interpretations of safety standards, noting the company historically "pushed boundaries on regulations."
- Following news of the probe, Tesla stock fell more than 5 per cent to $357.38 in early Friday trading, reversing financial gains made just one day earlier.
- To assess certification, the agency will "examine the process and technical data" Tesla used, though three former officials noted NHTSA does not always win these legal clashes.
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Tesla's Cybercab Hits Austin Streets as Federal Regulators Open Immediate Probe
Tesla launched paid Cybercab rides in Austin on Thursday only for NHTSA to open an immediate audit into its self-certification of the wheel- and pedal-free robotaxis. The probe examines how the company determined compliance with federal safety standards that assume human controls. Regulators stress support for innovation alongside strict rule-following as Tesla eyes rapid expansion.
Feds open probe into Musk’s steering-wheel-free taxis a day after he began offering rides in them – WTOP News
NEW YORK (AP) — Federal regulators are opening an investigation into whether Tesla’s new steering-wheel-free taxis comply with safety rules a day after the company began offering rides in the vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it was looking into whether Tesla was in full compliance with federal rules in deploying so-called Cybercabs...
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