The Department of Transportation announced it had opened an audit query, or safety investigation, into Tesla’s new fully autonomous, driverless taxis.On Thursday, Tesla announced the rollout of its Cybercabs in Austin, Texas. On that same day, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration filed an inquiry, claiming Tesla lacked “permanently attached, conventional manual controls, such as a brake pedal, gas pedal, steering wheel, and mirrors.”

Stay informed.Stay ahead.

Join Washington Examiner for unlimited access to the news, analysis, and commentary that matter most.

Trusted reporting.Unlimited access.

and subscriber-only journalism.