The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into Tesla's Cybercab. The vehicle has no steering wheel and no pedals. Tesla put the first production Cybercabs on Austin streets hours earlier. Federal rules still require manual controls such as brake pedals. Tesla told the agency it self-certified the vehicle as compliant. Automakers normally self-certify against federal safety standards. The regulator will examine the process and technical data behind that certification. Administrator Jonathan Morrison said all laws must be followed. The Department of Transportation has proposed dropping the manual control rules. The agency says existing standards stay in force until that work finishes.

• 2,500 Zoox vehicles per year allowed
• 8 standards in Zoox exemption
• Zoox approval granted July 2026