NHTSA has ordered Tesla to prove that its Cybercab is even legal to sell. The agency issued a formal Special Order on September 10 demanding that the company show, under oath, how a vehicle with no steering wheel, no pedals, and no mirrors complies with federal safety standards written for human drivers.

 

Tesla has until September 30 to respond. Failing to answer fully and truthfully carries penalties of up to $139 million.

We reported on September 4 that NHTSA opened Audit Query 26002 hours after Tesla began commercial Cybercab service in Austin on September 3. This is the escalation. An audit query is a request. A Special Order is a legal demand, backed by a sworn-affidavit requirement and the kind of penalties that get a general counsel’s attention.