From CBS News · Kris Van Cleave · · 1m 10s
Who oversees a flying Tesla Roadster? DOT has no clear answer
Tesla's new flying Roadster raises a regulatory puzzle: which agency will decide if it's safe to fly?
In brief
Tesla's new flying Roadster raises a regulatory puzzle: which agency will decide if it's safe to fly? Tesla unveiled a flying Roadster in October twenty twenty-six, but the Department of Transportation has no clear framework for regulating vehicles that leave the ground. Originally reported by CBS News.
Tesla unveils flying Roadster
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk unveiled Tesla's new Roadster Rocket at a launch event in Waco, Texas on October fifteen, twenty twenty-six.
“what happens when you have a collaboration with the world's best car company and the world's best rocket company”
Production timeline and approval status
The Roadster is about a decade behind schedule and would go into production in twenty twenty-eight.Tesla's website notes the flying model isn't approved for public road use.
Regulatory agencies clash over jurisdiction
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration typically oversees vehicles, but if the Roadster flies, oversight would shift to the FAA, which regulates aircraft.
“The Tesla vehicle does not meet the FAA definition of an aircraft”
NHTSA warns Tesla to meet safety standards
The NHTSA said in a statement that while the vehicle may appear to defy the laws of physics, the manufacturer must ensure it does not defy applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and drivers must…
“While the vehicle may appear to defy the laws of physics, the manufacturer must ensure that it does not defy applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards”
The short version
Tesla unveiled a flying Roadster in October twenty twenty-six, but the Department of Transportation has no clear framework for regulating vehicles that leave the ground.
