Tesla has until September 30 to provide sworn answers to 21 detailed questions from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) explaining how it certified the Cybercab under existing federal safety standards.
The September 10 Special Order is the latest development in Audit Query AQ26002, which NHTSA opened after Tesla began commercial Cybercab service in Austin on September 3. Unlike the opening of the audit, which was simply an announcement that an investigation was beginning, the new order outlines what exactly Tesla has to provide investigators.
Several of NHTSA’s questions focus on how Tesla certified a vehicle that does away with equipment traditionally required for a human driver.
The agency wants to know whether Tesla used temporary steering, braking or other driver controls during certification testing, and if so, how removing them afterward complies with federal safety rules. It is also asking Tesla to provide details on the testing, simulations and engineering work used to determine the Cybercab was compliant.
NHTSA is also asking Tesla to identify which existing safety standards it believes don’t apply to the Cybercab because they were written for human-driven vehicles. Other questions cover equipment such as turn signals, mirrors, displays and electronic stability control.
One of the biggest questions surrounds the Cybercab’s lack of a brake pedal. Federal rules currently state, “The service brakes shall be activated by means of a foot control.” NHTSA wants Tesla to explain how a vehicle without a permanently installed brake pedal meets that requirement.
Finally, the agency wants to know how Tesla was able to certify the Cybercab without applying for an exemption from existing safety standards, particularly since NHTSA has previously said regulatory changes would likely be needed for vehicles designed to operate entirely without a human driver.
NHTSA is already working to modernize several of these standards, including rules covering brake pedals, lighting and mirrors. However, the agency stressed when it opened the audit that, “Until that work is completed, however, existing standards remain in force.”
You can read the full order below.
Always get the latest - make Drive Tesla your preferred source on Google
Are you buying a Tesla? If you enjoy our content and we helped in your decision, use our referral link to get three months of Full Self-Driving (FSD).Drive Tesla uses affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you make a purchase through them, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
