US probes Tesla Cybercab for safety compliance

The U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have opened an inquiry into whether the Cybercab, a forthcoming electric autonomous taxi prototype, complies with federal vehicle safety standards. The investigation follows the vehicle’s recent unveiling and subsequent public demonstrations, prompting regulators to assess its design, crashworthiness, and automated driving systems against existing safety criteria.

Agency officials indicated that the review will examine the Cybercab’s structural integrity, occupant protection features, and software reliability, with data to be collected from manufacturer testing and third‑party evaluations. The outcome could determine the timeline for the vehicle’s market entry and may influence broader regulatory approaches to autonomous, electric commercial transport. The manufacturers have pledged cooperation, while the agencies have not set a definitive deadline for concluding the assessment.