Billionaire-CEO Elon Musk is determined to normalize Tesla’s Cybercab as a fixture of American streets.
However, the Cybercab’s design does not meet federal safety rules.
All vehicles without a steering wheel, which seems like a very counterintuitive concept, need to be approved by The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — a time-heavy process.
Approval is possible however Tesla would only be able to submit a few thousand” Cybercabs each year.
Bloomberg reports that at that rate, the Cybercab would become a niche product and not a dominant form of transportation.
Different state regulations will also be a bottleneck for Musk’s plans. For example, a special permit is needed to test driverless vehicles in California.
Many cite driverless vehicles as a response of broken transportation systems across North America — an excessive dependence on vehicles for the day-to-day, crowded lots and high-cost parking fees.
And of course, the increasing cost of both new and used vehicle ownership.
However, are driverless cabs really the answer? For a closer look at Tesla’s Cybercab, click here.
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