The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has recently launched a safety investigation, designated as AQ26002, targeting around 1,000 Tesla Cybercab self-driving taxis that are already in commercial use. The core of this investigation is to determine whether Tesla's rationale for considering certain federal motor vehicle safety standards as non-applicable is adequate. This particular model does away with all conventional manual control mechanisms, and notably, Tesla did not seek prior exemptions from safety standards. This omission allowed the company to roll out commercial operations in Austin, Texas, starting September 3, with intentions to broaden its reach further. This move by NHTSA represents its inaugural comprehensive assessment of a mass-produced vehicle model that entirely forgoes manual control devices. Should Tesla be found to be in breach of regulations, it could encounter repercussions such as a halt in deployment, mandatory installation of traditional controls, and hefty fines. The results of this investigation are poised to not only influence Tesla's timeline for commercial rollout but also establish new compliance standards for the autonomous driving sector, underscoring the tension between the advancement of autonomous driving technology and existing regulatory frameworks.