The United States' primary automotive safety regulator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), has initiated an investigation into Tesla's decision to launch its new Cybercab on public roads. The vehicle has been deployed without a steering wheel or pedals.
NHTSA announced the probe on Friday morning, just hours after Tesla introduced the first production Cybercabs onto the streets of Austin, Texas. Current federal vehicle safety regulations mandate manual controls, such as brake pedals. However, the Department of Transportation has recently put forward proposals to remove these requirements for vehicles designed for autonomous driving.
Tesla has informed NHTSA that it self-certified the Cybercab as compliant with all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). Automakers typically self-certify their vehicles' adherence to FMVSS rules.