Feds open probe into Musk's steering-wheel-free taxis a day after he began offering rides in them
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into whether Tesla's Cybercabs comply with federal safety rules, one day after the company began offering rides in Austin, Texas.
- Tesla's Cybercabs lack steering wheels, mirrors, and brake pedals typically required in vehicles, raising compliance questions.
- Tesla relied on a self-certification process to ensure Cybercabs met federal standards, but regulators are now auditing the technical data and process used.
- Tesla stock fell nearly 6% to $354.08 on Friday following the regulatory announcement, reversing all gains from the launch day.
- Rival company Zoox faced a similar probe three years ago after self-certifying its steering-wheel-free cabs, eventually receiving approval after formal review.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration initiated a formal investigation into Tesla's Cybercab service one day after the company launched steering-wheel-free autonomous taxis in Austin, Texas. The agency is examining whether the two-seat vehicles, which lack standard safety features including steering wheels, mirrors, and brake pedals, comply with federal safety regulations. Tesla had previously stated it relied on a self-certification process to ensure compliance, but regulators announced they would conduct an audit to examine both the certification process and technical data used.
Elon Musk launched the Cybercab service in Austin on Thursday with a public event, deploying dozens of the vehicles on city streets as part of what he describes as the beginning of a national rollout of a low-cost driverless taxi service. The Cybercabs are designed to integrate into Tesla's existing robotaxi network, which has been operating in Austin for over a year and recently expanded to five additional cities in Texas and Florida.
The regulatory probe had an immediate market impact, with Tesla stock declining nearly 6% to $354.08 on Friday, erasing all gains from the previous day's launch announcement. The investigation follows a precedent set by competitor Zoox, which faced a similar federal probe three years ago after self-certifying its own steering-wheel-free vehicles and eventually received approval following formal regulatory review. Tesla is currently facing multiple other federal investigations related to its self-driving software, including probes into crashes in low-visibility conditions and incidents involving red-light violations.
马斯克无方向盘出租车服务启动一天后 联邦监管机构启动调查
美国国家公路交通安全管理局在特斯拉于德克萨斯州奥斯汀启动无方向盘自动驾驶出租车服务一天后，启动了正式调查。该机构正在审查这些两座车辆是否符合联邦安全规定，这些车辆缺少方向盘、后视镜和制动踏板等标准安全装置。特斯拉此前表示依靠自我认证流程确保合规性，但监管机构宣布将进行审计，审查认证流程和所用技术数据。
埃隆·马斯克于周四在奥斯汀启动了Cybercab服务，举办公开活动，部署了数十辆车辆上路，这是他所称的低成本无人驾驶出租车全国推广的开始。Cybercabs设计用于整合到特斯拉现有的机器人出租车网络中，该网络在奥斯汀已运营一年多，最近扩展到德克萨斯州和佛罗里达州的五个额外城市。
监管调查对市场产生了立即影响，特斯拉股票周五下跌近6%至354.08美元，抵消了前一天发布会的所有涨幅。该调查遵循竞争对手Zoox三年前的先例，Zoox在自我认证其无方向盘车辆后面临类似联邦调查，最终在正式监管审查后获得批准。特斯拉目前正面临多项其他与自动驾驶软件相关的联邦调查，包括对低能见度条件下碰撞事故和涉及闯红灯事件的调查。