Tesla launches Cybercab robotaxis: why this could become a challenge for the US
Kyiv • UNN
Tesla has begun transporting passengers in driverless Cybercabs in Austin. The NHTSA is checking whether the vehicles comply with federal safety standards.
Tesla’s (TSLA.O) race to launch the Cybercab robotaxi will put existing regulatory rules to the test: the company is beginning to transport passengers in these sporty two-seater cars, which lack steering wheels, pedals and mirrors, UNN reports, citing Reuters.
Several hours after the presentation in downtown Austin, Texas, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that it had begun examining approximately 1,000 Cybercab vehicles. The purpose of the investigation is to determine on what basis Tesla concluded that these cars comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards.
U.S. regulators restrict the commercial operation of vehicles that comply with federal safety standards adopted decades ago; those rules were designed for cars with drivers and require the presence of manual controls. However, according to industry experts, “gray areas” in the legislation and Elon Musk’s penchant for lawsuits could give Tesla a chance to nevertheless achieve the widespread deployment of the Cybercab.
Amid excitement among fans and bloggers in downtown Austin, Tesla’s robotaxi fleet, which had until now consisted of the popular Model Y crossovers, was expanded to include the Cybercab. The company said that rides in the Cybercab were available to everyone and presented pricing plans, but did not specify whether passengers had already begun to be charged for rides.
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The publication notes that the Cybercab — a gold-colored car with “butterfly-wing” doors — embodies Musk’s strategy of betting on self-driving technology and robotics. This bet has given the company a market capitalization of $1.4 trillion — a sum exceeding the value of several of the world’s largest automakers combined.
Unlike most countries, where new car models and technologies require regulatory approval before entering the market, in the United States automakers can put them on public roads by self-certifying their compliance with federal standards.
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"I don’t think there is a reasonable basis for finding that the Cybercab is capable of complying with federal motor vehicle safety standards," said Michael Brooks, executive director of the consumer advocacy organization Center for Auto Safety.
Although the NHTSA is making accelerated efforts to change safety standards and is simultaneously developing new rules for autonomous vehicles, experts note that implementing them will likely take more time than Musk promises.
However, it is known that Musk is not used to waiting for official approvals. "Tesla has historically tested the limits of what is permissible and challenged existing regulatory requirements," said Philip Koopman, a professor of engineering at Carnegie Mellon University and an expert in autonomous vehicle safety. "I fully expect Tesla to test those limits again this time."
According to Koopman, Musk may resort to a “creative interpretation” of the regulations: claim that the Cybercabs comply with federal standards and “flood the market with them.” It could take the NHTSA or state regulators years to sort out the situation. In the meantime, Tesla will be able to operate these vehicles on public roads.
Tesla did not respond to requests for comment.