Tesla must provide an officer’s sworn answers by Sept. 30 to 21 detailed questions from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about its self-certification of the Cybercab robotaxi. NHTSA is seeking information and data on Tesla’s certification process, including how a vehicle without a steering wheel, pedals, mirrors or turn-signal controls can comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. The agency is examining whether temporary human controls were used for certification and later removed in violation of federal "make inoperative" rules, and why Tesla did not seek an exemption under Part 555. NHTSA opened Audit Query AQ26002 on Sept. 3 after commercial deployment began in Austin, Texas, and Chief Counsel Peter Simshauser issued the request on Sept. 10. The inquiry carries potential civil penalties of up to $139.35 million and criminal penalties of up to 15 years in prison, or both. Tesla began operating a limited fleet of two-passenger Cybercabs in Austin on Sept. 3. The review could affect Tesla’s plan to sell Cybercabs to the public and comes as the company builds its strategy around autonomy, robotaxis and physical AI.