Just hours after Tesla deployed its first batch of Cybercab in Austin, Texas, the United States, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the initiation of an investigation. This indicates that even as autonomous vehicles are already on the road, they still need to face federal-level compliance reviews.
The investigation was launched on the same day.
NHTSA reported on Friday morning that shortly after Tesla deployed the first batch of Cybercab onto the streets of Austin, authorities began an investigation. As of now, no details regarding the scope of the investigation, its stages, or the specific areas of focus have been disclosed, and reports are still being updated.
Current standards still require manual control.
According to federal motor vehicle safety regulations, vehicles are typically required to be equipped with manual control devices such as brake pedals. However, the U.S. Department of Transportation has recently proposed changes, intending to eliminate such requirements for autonomous vehicles.
This means that the federal standards applicable to autonomous vehicles are still in the process of being adjusted. The decision to put Cybercab into use at this stage also brings it faster into the scope of regulatory oversight.
Tesla claims to have completed self-certification
NHTSA stated that Tesla has informed the agency that the company has completed self-certification of Cybercab and determined that it meets all federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS).
In the US automotive industry, it is common for car companies to certify whether their vehicles meet the FMVSS standards on their own. However, with the actual deployment of autonomous vehicles, whether such certifications can meet regulatory requirements remains a point of concern for the market.
