Tesla to Sell Cybercab to Customers by Year-End Despite NHTSA Probe

Tesla said Wednesday it will begin selling its Cybercab to third-party customers by the end of the year, even as federal regulators investigate whether the autonomous two-seater, which lacks a steering wheel, meets vehicle safety standards. On the third-quarter earnings call, engineering vice president Lars Moravy said current Cybercab output is destined for Tesla's own robotaxi fleet, with customer deliveries starting small before scaling. CEO Elon Musk said an unsupervised Full Self-Driving version would reach owners in the second quarter, meaning fleet buyers could operate autonomous Cybercabs before Tesla owners gain the same capability. NHTSA opened an investigation last month into the Cybercab, hours after it began operating on Austin public streets, to examine the certification process for vehicles lacking manual controls required under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. The probe's outcome could determine whether Tesla can legally operate the vehicles.