# Tesla's Driverless Cybercab Hits Austin Streets, Draws Federal Safety Probe Within Hours

*2026-09-04 22:01 UTC · Business · 1 min read*

> Hours after Tesla launched paid Cybercab rides with no steering wheel or pedals in Austin, NHTSA opened a federal probe into whether the self-certified robotaxi actually meets safety standards.

Tesla began commercial rides in its two-seat Cybercab on the streets of Austin, Texas on September 4, 2026 — a robotaxi built with no steering wheel, pedals, or mirrors. Within hours, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into roughly 1,000 of the vehicles.

NHTSA administrator Jonathan Morrison said the agency "fully supports the safe development and deployment of automated vehicles," but needs to confirm federal rules were followed. Automakers are allowed to self-certify compliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, and Tesla told regulators the Cybercab meets all applicable requirements. The agency wants to examine the technical data behind that certification, since current federal standards call for manual controls like a steering wheel and brake pedal — though the Department of Transportation has separately proposed dropping that requirement for autonomous vehicles.

Tesla said it plans to expand the service to more vehicles and cities. The situation echoes Amazon-owned Zoox, which faced a similar NHTSA probe after self-certifying its own wheel-free robotaxi in 2022 and only received a temporary exemption this past July.

## Sources

- [techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/04/feds-launch-investigation-into-teslas-cybercab-deployment/)
- [cnbc.com](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/04/us-auto-safety-regulator-opens-probe-into-nearly-1000-tesla-cybercabs.html)

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TechTools News · https://techtools.cz/tools/news/article/2314-tesla-s-driverless-cybercab-hits-austin-streets-draws-federal-safety-probe
Česká verze: https://techtools.cz/tools/news/clanek/2387-bezvolantovy-tesla-cybercab-vyjel-do-ulic-austinu-a-behem-hodin-na-nej-spustil