NHTSA opens audit query into 2026 Tesla Robotaxi (Cybercab): Tesla Cybercab FMVSS Certification
On September 3, 2026, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened an Audit Query (AQ26002) into 2026 Tesla Robotaxi (Cybercab). An Audit Query reviews whether a manufacturer has met its federal safety reporting or recall obligations. As of NHTSA’s latest data it is still open.
- Action
- AQ26002 (Audit Query)
- Status
- Open
- Listed
- 1 make/model/year entry in NHTSA’s file
Vehicles under investigation
| Make | Tesla |
|---|---|
| Model | Robotaxi (Cybercab) |
| Model years | 2026 |
As listed in NHTSA’s investigation file. Not every vehicle of a listed model is necessarily affected.
What ODI says
On September 3, 2026, Tesla began commercial deployment with a small number of its Cybercab vehicles in Austin, Texas. Tesla notified the Agency that it certified those Cybercab vehicles as compliant with all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). Tesla also notified the Agency that it plans to gradually expand commercial deployment of the Cybercab to include additional vehicles and locations. The vehicles lack permanently attached, conventional manual controls, such as a brake pedal, gas pedal, steering wheel, and mirrors. NHTSA is opening this AQ to examine the process and technical data on which Tesla relied when certifying the Cybercab and related issues. Among other things, NHTSA will consider the extent to which Tesla’s certification depended on determinations that certain FMVSS are inapplicable to the Cybercab.
Official summary by NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation for AQ26002, quoted in full (U.S. government work, public domain).
What owners have reported
Owners filed 0 complaints with NHTSA about the model years in this investigation. These are all complaints on file for those vehicles, about any problem, not only this one; complaints are unverified owner reports.
| Vehicle | Complaints | Crashes | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Robotaxi (Cybercab) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Timeline
- ODI opens audit query AQ26002
- OpenNo closing date yet
What this means for owners
- An investigation is not a recall. NHTSA has not made a defect finding here, and owners are not asked to do anything yet. If a safety defect is confirmed, the manufacturer recalls the vehicles and the repair is free.
- Check your vehicle for open recalls with a free VIN recall check.
- Had this problem? File a complaint with NHTSA. Owner complaints are the evidence ODI uses to open and expand investigations.
Official record: search AQ26002 or your vehicle at NHTSA.gov/recalls, which lists investigations alongside recalls. Data: NHTSA ODI investigations file, updated daily. All NHTSA investigations.