The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has asked Tesla to provide more information about how it certified the Cybercab, Tesla's purpose-built robotaxi that is designed without a steering wheel or pedals.
According to Reuters, Tesla must respond to the agency's questions by September 30, 2026. The inquiry includes whether temporarily installed human-driver controls or other equipment were part of Tesla's basis for certifying compliance with federal vehicle-safety requirements.
Why this matters
Cybercab is different from a conventional passenger vehicle because its production design removes the manual controls assumed by many existing U.S. safety standards. That makes the certification path especially important as Tesla works to expand Cybercab deployment.
The NHTSA inquiry does not itself mean that Cybercab has been found non-compliant. It is a regulatory request for information about the basis Tesla used for self-certification.
For RobotaxiGuy readers, the key point is that federal certification has become another concrete checkpoint in the Cybercab rollout, alongside fleet deployment, state operating rules, and autonomous-driving performance.
What to watch next
The immediate milestone is Tesla's September 30 response. Any subsequent NHTSA action could clarify whether the agency accepts Tesla's certification approach or seeks additional information or changes.
Source: Reuters, September 15, 2026