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Elon Musk told shareholders at Tesla’s Austin plant that Cybercab production will begin in April, promising a future of pedal-less, steering wheel-less robotaxis built “like consumer electronics.” Those grand claims rang like a Silicon Valley dare — except there’s a plain legal fact he’s glossing over: Tesla hasn’t even filed for the federal exemption required to sell a vehicle without standard controls. The disconnect between Musk’s swagger on stage and the rule-of-law reality on the books should worry every hardworking American who values safety and accountability.
The Cybercab itself was unveiled as a stripped-down two-seater designed exclusively for unsupervised full self-driving, reportedly priced under $30,000 and lacking side mirrors, pedals, or a steering wheel. It’s a shiny symbol of the new tech elite’s belief that engineering prowess trumps regulation, but the U.S. transportation code still lists those basic safety elements for a reason. When entrepreneurs chase headlines instead of approvals, regular people — not executives — bear the risk.
Federal vehicle safety standards require certain equipment on passenger vehicles, and automakers that want to deviate must apply for exemptions or get explicit regulatory approval before selling. Forbes reports Tesla hasn’t submitted the exemption paperwork, which isn’t a bureaucratic quibble — it’s the legal hurdle that decides whether a vehicle can be offered to the public. Pretending rules don’t apply to you is what breeds disaster, and no amount of marketing can replace real compliance.
Even when Silicon Valley gets a toe in the door, it’s a slow slog: Tesla has picked up a preliminary permit in California to run limited robotaxi operations, but regulators have made clear that multiple additional permits and approvals are still required before a full commercial launch. That’s not obstructionism — it’s the system protecting citizens from premature rollouts of unproven technology. If Musk and his allies want to push the envelope, they ought to do it by following the law and proving safety first, not by asking for special favors after the fact.
There’s also the inconvenient safety record to consider: federal investigators are probing Tesla’s Full Self-Driving program amid collision reports, and regulators remain rightly skeptical about claims of driverless perfection. Rushing a vehicle that removes human controls onto the market while serious safety questions are unresolved is reckless, not brave. Conservatives should be champions of innovation, but also of accountability — and accountability starts with meeting safety standards, not evading them.
Musk’s manufacturing boasts only deepen the surreal: a line that churns out a Cybercab every ten seconds and scales to millions of units sounds like a fantasy of mass production disconnected from actual regulatory and market realities. Grandiose production math won’t silence legitimate concerns from regulators, skeptics, or customers if the underlying technology and paperwork aren’t in order. Investors and the public deserve realistic timelines and responsible plans, not hype dressed up as certainty.
All of this comes on the heels of a shareholder vote that greenlit an unprecedented compensation package for Musk, a reminder that corporate governance and oversight matter when a single personality dominates a company’s destiny. Shareholders and regulators both have roles to play in insisting that ambition does not become a cover for corner-cutting. When private power grows unchecked, citizens must demand transparency and adherence to the rules that keep roads safe.
We as conservatives should cheer American ingenuity while also defending the rule of law that protects families and honest businesses. If Tesla wants to sell a wheel-less, pedal-less Cybercab to the public, do it the right way: apply for exemptions, pass rigorous safety tests, and prove the technology in the clear light of accountability. Hardworking Americans don’t want showmanship — they want safe streets, responsible companies, and leaders who respect the rules they expect everyone else to follow.
