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Tesla Launches Cybercab Robotaxi in Austin and New York City Amidst Regulatory Scrutiny

Tesla has officially launched its Cybercab, a fully autonomous taxi without a steering wheel or pedals, in Austin, Texas, and across six cities in Florida and Texas. While the vehicle is marketed as a fully autonomous fleet, it is currently being tested in a supervised capacity in New York City, where drivers remain behind the wheel to provide manual control. Federal safety regulators have opened an investigation into the Cybercab's radical design, specifically its lack of traditional human controls. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is examining whether the vehicle complies with federal safety standards, which were originally developed with the assumption of a human driver using a wheel. The investigation covers nearly 1,000 vehicles. In Austin, first responders have expressed skepticism regarding the lack of steering wheels. Fire Capt. Matthew McElearney noted that while a hidden digital joystick exists for manual intervention, it may be problematic during high-pressure emergency scenes. The administration announced that the Cybercab's arrival in New York City follows previous testing by rivals like Waymo, which currently operates a larger fleet of autonomous vehicles.

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