NHTSA safety investigation
NHTSA Investigation AQ26002
Audit Query · Tesla, Inc.
This investigation is open. That is not a finding that a defect exists.
NHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
What NHTSA is examining
The agency's own description of the inquiry, quoted as published
Tesla Cybercab FMVSS Certification
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.
An investigation is a separate record from a recall and from a manufacturer communication. A manufacturer campaign to repair a safety defect or a failure to meet a federal safety standard.
Investigation details
Identifiers, dates and outcome as recorded by NHTSA
- Action number
- AQ26002
- Investigation type
- Audit Query (AQ)
- Status
- Open
- Manufacturer
- Tesla, Inc.
- Component
- Not recorded
- Opened
- Sep 3, 2026
- Closed
- Not recorded
- Associated recall campaign
- None recorded — the inquiry is ongoing
Vehicles named in this investigation
1 model year across 1 model
Being named here means NHTSA included the vehicle in the scope of its inquiry. It is not a statement that these vehicles have a defect.