A video shared on social media shows a man repeatedly attempting to provoke a Tesla Cybercab on a public street. The individual hid behind a pole and jumped in front of the vehicle to test if its autonomous systems could detect him and stop in time. The Cybercab successfully halted during each attempt.
The actions created hazards for other road users. Around 13 seconds into the clip, a blue Jeep became stuck behind the Cybercab due to these tests, forcing the driver to change lanes to bypass the vehicle. This situation highlighted the potential for accidents involving other human-driven cars in the area.
Separately, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched an investigation into the Cybercab. This follows the commercial deployment of a small number of vehicles in Austin, Texas. The agency is reviewing the vehicle's compliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
The investigation focuses on Tesla's certification process. Specifically, the agency is examining how Tesla determined that certain safety standards are inapplicable to the Cybercab, as the vehicle lacks a brake pedal, gas pedal, steering wheel, and mirrors.