In a move that has raised questions about the transparency of safety standards, Tesla has requested that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) classify all of its legal responses regarding the autonomous 'Cybercab' vehicle as confidential business information. This action came in response to a special order issued by the regulatory body last September, requiring the company to demonstrate how its vehicle—which lacks a steering wheel, pedals, and mirrors—complies with federal safety standards.
What details did Tesla withhold?
According to files available in the public record, Tesla submitted a single-page response stating that "the entire file constitutes confidential business information." Responses to 21 substantive questions posed by the agency were also withheld, including how the vehicle complies with brake standards (FMVSS 135), turn signals, and mirrors, and whether the company conducted physical tests or engineering simulations to prove safety.
The only document available to the public is the "First Responder Interaction Plan," which is a guide for firefighters and police, and it does not include any technical details on how the vehicle obtained federal compliance certification.
Why does this news matter?
The importance of this issue lies in the fact that Tesla has chosen to "self-certify" its vehicle and has already begun operating it commercially in Austin, while competing companies like Zoox have taken a different path by requesting formal exemptions from the regulatory body. This position puts Tesla in direct confrontation with the NHTSA, which has threatened civil penalties of up to $139 million in the event of incomplete or misleading answers.
What changes in practice?
The company is now awaiting a decision from the NHTSA's chief legal counsel regarding the confidentiality request. If the agency rejects the request, the legal and technical basis Tesla relied upon to manufacture a vehicle without traditional controls may be revealed. If the request is accepted, the 'Cybercab' fleet (estimated at about 1,000 vehicles) will continue to operate without the public or experts being able to review the safety standards that ensure the protection of passengers and pedestrians.
Documents available in the first responder guide indicate that the 'Cybercab' may be equipped with a steering wheel and pedals during test phases, and operates according to SAE Level 2 autonomous driving, which opens the door to further questions about the discrepancy between test versions and passenger-dedicated versions that do not contain those tools.