Tesla Cybercab Launches in Austin as NHTSA Opens Compliance Investigation

Tesla deployed its first Cybercabs in Austin, but the event failed to impress Wall Street and drew immediate regulatory scrutiny—NHTSA opened an investigation into the vehicles' lack of manual controls just hours after they hit the road. The deployment marks a critical test for Tesla's robotaxi ambitions against competitors like Waymo, which is simultaneously expanding its own service to multiple cities.