Tesla shares fell 6.5% on September 4, trading below the previous day's close as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an audit into the company's Cybercab vehicles.
The decline came after Tesla commercially deployed Cybercabs onto public streets in Austin, Texas on September 3. By the end of that day, the NHTSA opened Audit Query AQ26002 to examine up to 1,000 Tesla vehicles, which would encompass the company's fleet of several dozen Cybercabs.
The NHTSA said it "is opening this AQ to examine the process and technical data on which Tesla relied when certifying the Cybercab and related issues." The agency emphasized that an Audit Query is not an allegation of misconduct and does not constitute a recall or determination of noncompliance.
Self-Certification vs. Exemption Route
Tesla opted to deploy the Cybercab through self-certification of compliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) rather than seeking a formal exemption from the NHTSA in advance. Manufacturers typically self-certify compliance or request a limited exemption before deployment.
The NHTSA's existing regulations allow manufacturers to sell up to 2,500 vehicles per year that do not fully comply with traditional FMVSS standards. Other companies, such as Zoox, have pursued the exemption route. The NHTSA closed its inquiry into Zoox's self-certification in August 2025 and granted the company a formal temporary exemption, allowing it to legally operate vehicles on public roads.
Cybercab Design Features
The Cybercab has no permanently attached steering wheel, brake pedal, accelerator pedal, or rearview mirrors. Tesla has stated that "Cybercab is engineered to be the safest car on the road" and views these omissions as safe design choices that give the vehicle a futuristic appearance.
Tesla did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the NHTSA audit.
