1:10Tesla asked for eight more weeks to answer NHTSA on the Cybercab. It got 30 days
The US regulator has moved Tesla's deadline to October 30. Its 21 questions cover everything from mirrors and brakes to why Tesla never applied for an exemption.
Tesla now has until October 30 to answer the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's questions about the Cybercab. The original deadline was September 30.
Tesla wanted more time
Tesla asked for eight extra weeks, until November 20, pointing to the voluminous nature of the request. NHTSA granted 30 days instead.
What NHTSA wants to know
The questions are part of a special order linked to Audit Query 26002, which NHTSA opened on September 3 to examine how Tesla certified that the steering-wheel-free Cybercab meets federal safety standards. The order contains 21 requests, including:
- Tesla's plans to expand commercial Cybercab operations to more vehicles and cities.
- The vehicle's operating limits.
- How the Cybercab meets rules for turn signals, mirrors, rear-view cameras and foot-operated service brakes.
- Whether temporary human controls were used during certification testing.
- Whether passengers can move the vehicle using the touchscreen.
- Why Tesla did not apply for an exemption, and how the car complies with existing rules without one.
Why the exemption question matters
Zoox, Amazon's robotaxi company, went through a similar process and ended up with a temporary exemption that caps how many vehicles it can add each year. Tesla chose to self-certify instead. If NHTSA is not convinced, Tesla could face a slower, capped path, just as it wants to scale up.
What to watch
The Cybercab keeps operating in Austin in the meantime. After October 30, NHTSA will review Tesla's answers; that can take months. Meanwhile, the agency is rewriting the rules on manual controls, which could make much of the dispute moot.
