Cybercab Probe Begins
Federal regulators opened an investigation into whether Tesla properly certified its steering-wheel-free, pedal-free Cybercab robotaxi after the company began commercial deployment in Austin, Texas.
“up to 1,000 Cybercabs”
Reuters
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it is examining the process and technical data Tesla relied on to demonstrate compliance with federal motor vehicle safety standards for up to 1,000 Cybercabs.
AP NewsReuters reported that NHTSA said the Cybercab lacks conventional manual controls, including a steering wheel, brake pedal, accelerator pedal and mirrors, and that it is investigating the basis of Tesla’s certification and related issues.
In a statement quoted by Reuters, NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison said, “we need to ensure that all of our laws are followed,” as Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Certification vs Exemptions
Ars Technica said the federal investigation began just hours after Tesla welcomed hundreds of fans to downtown Austin to ride in the driverless Cybercabs, with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration probing whether the vehicles meet federal safety standards.
Ars Technica also reported that NHTSA is updating vehicle standards to make it easier and faster for driverless cars to deploy on public roads, while it is currently tweaking eight rules including those requiring brake pedals, windshield wipers, and rearview mirrors.
Ars TechnicaThe probe is tied to how Tesla certified the Cybercab, with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration examining whether Tesla determined that certain Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards were not applicable to the vehicle.
Reuters added that NHTSA said Tesla had not petitioned for an exemption, even though the agency has authority to grant petitions to allow up to 2,500 vehicles per manufacturer yearly to operate without required human controls.
What Happens Next
The investigation comes as Tesla plans to gradually expand the Cybercab service to additional vehicles and locations, after launching a small number of two-seater Cybercabs in Austin on Thursday.
“including 45 Cybercab vehicles”
Reuters
Reuters reported that Tesla had 420 autonomous vehicles registered in Texas as of Friday morning, including 45 Cybercab vehicles, and that NHTSA is examining Tesla’s certification basis for up to 1,000 Cybercabs.
The NHTSA probe also sits alongside regulatory changes under consideration, with Reuters noting that in June the agency proposed to end a government requirement for manual brake pedals in self-driving vehicles and proposed other changes to federal safety standards.
In the same Reuters coverage, NHTSA pointed to precedent from Amazon’s Zoox, saying in July it approved a petition for Zoox for limited commercial deployment of its steering-wheel-free robotaxis, which Reuters described as a first for the autonomous ride industry.