Tesla $TSLA -5.92% stock fell 6% on Friday after the company’s Thursday launch event for its Cybercab robotaxi disappointed investors and federal safety regulators opened an audit query into whether the vehicle was properly certified for public roads.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched the probe on Thursday, the same day Tesla began commercial deployment of a small number of Cybercab vehicles in Austin, Texas, according to NHTSA. The agency said it is examining the process and technical data Tesla relied on when self-certifying the Cybercab as compliant with all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. NHTSA noted that the vehicles lack permanently attached conventional manual controls, including a brake pedal, gas pedal, steering wheel, and mirrors.
