Regulatory hurdles were one of multiple issues Musk sidestepped during his much-anticipated unveiling of robotaxi, billed as a pillar of the Tesla CEO’s push into robotics and artificial intelligence
Elon Musk promised to pump out robotaxis in high numbers when Tesla Inc. unveiled prototypes of its Cybercab last week.
There’s a big problem with that: US rules won’t allow it.
Automakers must secure permission from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration before putting cars on the road that lack a steering wheel or other controls required by US auto safety rules. If Tesla were to overcome that hurdle — which is by no means guaranteed — it could only put a few thousand robotaxis on the road in a given year, effectively rendering its slick self-driving taxi little more than a niche product.
“Unless Congress increases this limit, as several failed bills would have done, exemptions aren’t a viable route for a mass manufacturer,” said Bryant Walker Smith, a University of South Carolina law professor and autonomous vehicle expert.
Regulatory hurdles were one of multiple issues Musk sidestepped during his much-anticipated unveiling of the robotaxi, billed as a pillar of the Tesla chief executive officer’s push into robotics and artificial intelligence.
NHTSA has long permitted manufacturers to deploy 2,500 vehicles per year under a granted exemption, a tiny total for a company that sold nearly half a million cars last quarter alone.
