Tesla faces federal probe over Cybercab rolloutWards AutoBengt HalvorsonWed, September 9, 2026 at 11:15 AM UTCAdd us on GoogleThe Tesla Cybercab, in an earlier rendering.This story was originally published on WardsAuto. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily WardsAuto newsletter.Dive Brief:The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a probe to examine how Tesla certified its approximately 1,000 Cybercab self-driving robotaxis to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.The two-seat Cybercab, which was revealed in 2024, was officially commercially deployed on September 3, although it's not yet on sale. Tesla notified the agency that it has certified the Cybercab as compliant with all FMVSS requirements, and that it intends to deploy more Cybercabs to more locations."The vehicles lack permanently attached, conventional manual controls, such as a brake pedal, gas pedal, steering wheel, and mirrors," the agency underscored in its Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance document. "Among other things, NHTSA will consider the extent to which Tesla's certification depended on determinations that certain FMVSS are inapplicable to the Cybercab."Dive Insight:NHTSA explained that this formal query was opened "to examine the process and technical data on which Tesla relied when certifying the Cybercab and related issues."AdvertisementAdvertisementIn 2025, NHTSA streamlined a process for manufacturers looking to build autonomous vehicles to receive what is known as a Part 555 exemption, even if the vehicles do not have driver controls. Through it, manufacturers are allowed to sell up to 2,500 vehicles in a yearlong period that don't entirely comply with FMVSS requirements. Tesla has not yet applied for such a waiver from the federal government. The exemption process, intended to foster research, development, and innovation among autonomous vehicle companies, includes a request that companies must provide "a detailed analysis of how the vehicle provides the overall level of safety or impact protection at least equal to that of nonexempted vehicles" — including test results and technical details. The waiver application also has to include a substantiation that compliance would be prohibitive for sales. For the Cybercab, installing a steering wheel and pedals would make a significant difference to available cabin space — and, perhaps, create confusion over driver-seat interventions. Amazon's Zoox robotaxi unit is the most noteworthy example of this process. It gained the first NHTSA commercial exemption for its purpose-built robotaxi in July. As the company claimed then: "We now have regulatory approval to charge for rides."AdvertisementAdvertisementTesla is charging for Cybercab rides in Austin, with some example prices cited by MotorTrend. CEO Elon Musk has promised a price of under $30,000 to purchase the vehicle. Tesla's autonomous driving approach remains more minimalist than that of other companies, with camera hardware taking the full sensing role whereas others also rely on a multi-sensor approach including lidar and radar sensors. In July, as part of its Q2 2026 presentation deck for shareholders, Tesla noted that its Gigafactory Texas plant in Austin was capable of building more than 125,000 Cybercabs per year. In a corresponding call with shareholders at that time, Tesla's Head of AI, Ashok Elluswamy, reported that across six cities and two states, there were "zero notable incidents.""Historically the so-called experts have always claimed that you need lidars, radars, HD maps, and the entire kitchen sink to drive safely," touted Elluswamy then. "Here we show that much is not true. You can have safe, comfortable and affordable autonomy with just cameras."Recommended ReadingTesla ending Model S, X production in Q2, CEO Elon Musk says',