Tesla threw a flashy party on Thursday to announce the start of its autonomous Cybercab service in Austin, but some of the wind was taken out of the company's sails when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced an investigation into the Cybercabs almost immediately after the launch.Tesla’s Cybercabs are gold-covered robotaxis that seat two riders; the Cabs offer a luxe, roomy experience thanks to butterfly doors, a large Grok-enabled video screen, and the absence of a steering wheel and gas and brake pedals. The omission of the pedals and wheel is exactly why the NHTSA is looking into the Cybercabs, as the agency requires autonomous vehicles to have those back-up controls.
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The Department of Transportation is considering dropping that requirement, and recently allowed Amazon-owned Zoox vehicles to operate without a wheel and pedals — but only after years of review and requests for information. Before they began offering rides, both Zoox and Cybercabs self-certified that their driverless cars complied with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
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