NHTSA audits 1,000 Tesla Cybercabs as driverless rollout tests US safety rules

Tesla has begun operating its Cybercab robotaxis in Texas without conventional driver controls such as steering wheels or pedals. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched an audit covering 1,000 of these autonomous vehicles. Current US road safety regulations were largely designed with human-operated vehicles in mind, creating a regulatory grey area for fully driverless cars. Tesla's broader business valuation is heavily tied to the success of its self-driving software and robotics ambitions. Experts believe Tesla may seek to challenge or reinterpret existing regulations in order to expand its autonomous vehicle deployments.