We posted a few days ago about Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s claims that the company would begin production of the self driving Cybercab in the second quarter of 2026. And we completely forgot about this — who cover’s liability?
If there is no driver and the expectations are that the vehicle will go station to station on its own, how could it be that the owner has to pay for vehicle insurance?
I can understand the argument that, yes, the owner needs coverage. However, doesn’t the manufacturer have to assume at least a large part of the liability for what the vehicle does?
Remember, the Cybercab will not have any means for anyone inside to control anything.
This feels like something regulators will need to address before the vehicle is released into the wild.
Speaking of which, I heard but could not confirm that Tesla Board Chair Robyn Denholm said in a CNBC interview that the company could not begin production because they did not have the necessary regulatory approval. And while searching for the confirmation I could not find, I ran into this from the Washington Post.
“Musk said during a July earnings call that he wasn’t concerned about getting regulatory approval for the Cybercab, because federal regulators at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) would be “morally obligated” to approve the vehicle if it proved to be safer than a human driver.”
The piece added that according to NHTSA, however, all companies looking to operate and sell a vehicle without a steering wheel or pedals must apply for and receive an exemption from them before the vehicles can be operated on public roads.
Thank goodness. And hopefully NHTSA‘s moral obligation will include looking deeper at Tesla‘s data rather than taking it at face value.
And not to forget, no one seems to be asking the question, who covers liability?
The material on these pages is provided for information sharing purposes only and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business, nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.
Remember — only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.
Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.
The author has 30+ years of automotive experience and has assembled the most extensive collection of symbols and warning lights anywhere (over 1,000!) and can help you open and start any keyless start car with a dead key fob battery. BA, St. Joseph’s, ME: MS, RPI, NY
Cybercab — who covers liability?
We posted a few days ago about Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s claims that the company would begin production of the self driving Cybercab in the second quarter of 2026. And we completely forgot about this — who cover’s liability?
If there is no driver and the expectations are that the vehicle will go station to station on its own, how could it be that the owner has to pay for vehicle insurance?
I can understand the argument that, yes, the owner needs coverage. However, doesn’t the manufacturer have to assume at least a large part of the liability for what the vehicle does?
Remember, the Cybercab will not have any means for anyone inside to control anything.
This feels like something regulators will need to address before the vehicle is released into the wild.
Speaking of which, I heard but could not confirm that Tesla Board Chair Robyn Denholm said in a CNBC interview that the company could not begin production because they did not have the necessary regulatory approval. And while searching for the confirmation I could not find, I ran into this from the Washington Post.
“Musk said during a July earnings call that he wasn’t concerned about getting regulatory approval for the Cybercab, because federal regulators at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) would be “morally obligated” to approve the vehicle if it proved to be safer than a human driver.”
The piece added that according to NHTSA, however, all companies looking to operate and sell a vehicle without a steering wheel or pedals must apply for and receive an exemption from them before the vehicles can be operated on public roads.
Thank goodness. And hopefully NHTSA‘s moral obligation will include looking deeper at Tesla‘s data rather than taking it at face value.
And not to forget, no one seems to be asking the question, who covers liability?
The Post article is here.
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The material on these pages is provided for information sharing purposes only and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business, nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.
Remember — only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.
Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.
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The author has 30+ years of automotive experience and has assembled the most extensive collection of symbols and warning lights anywhere (over 1,000!) and can help you open and start any keyless start car with a dead key fob battery. BA, St. Joseph’s, ME: MS, RPI, NY