Tesla aims to sell Cybercab robotaxis by end of 2026 despite US probe
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on MyJoyOnline
Tesla plans to start selling its Cybercab robotaxis to the public by the end of 2026, automotive engineering vice-president Lars Moravy said. The US road safety agency is investigating the vehicles, which have no manual controls, while their commercial rollout is expected to begin on a small scale, according to Reuters.
Tesla aims to begin selling its Cybercab robotaxis to the public by the end of 2026, despite a US investigation into whether they comply with safety regulations. Tesla vice-president of automotive engineering Lars Moravy announced the target on Wednesday after the publication of the third-quarter results, according to Reuters.
The two-seat gold electric vehicles have no steering wheel, pedals or rear-view mirrors and are designed to operate without a driver. Tesla began offering paid rides in a small fleet of Cybercabs in Austin, Texas, early last month, before the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the US road safety agency, opened an investigation.
The NHTSA is examining how Tesla certified its vehicles and determined that certain federal standards did not apply to them. Current rules, designed for cars driven by humans, require manual controls, among other things, and restrict the commercial deployment of vehicles without them. Tesla must respond to the agency by 30 October, while the NHTSA has proposed changing these standards for autonomous vehicles without human controls.
Tesla plans to start with limited volumes to assess delivery, fleet management and how customers use autonomous vehicles, before gradually increasing production, Lars Moravy said.
Summary produced with the help of artificial intelligence tools, under AFREEQUE’s editorial responsibility.
