# Self-driving cars are breaking crash test rules > Robotaxis let passengers recline and face sideways, but safety standards assume everyone sits upright. - Title: Self-driving cars are breaking crash test rules · WIRED - Summary: Robotaxis let passengers recline and face sideways, but safety standards assume everyone sits upright. Current crash test standards assume upright… - Keywords: tesla, cybercab, robotaxi, self-driving cars, autonomous vehicles, crash testing, nhtsa, iihs, zoox, humanetics, thor-av, vehicle safety standards - Source: WIRED — https://wired.com/story/how-self-driving-cars-might-change-crash-testing-forever - Author: Aarian Marshall - Published: 2026-09-16T10:00:00+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: tesla, cybercab, robotaxi, self-driving cars, autonomous vehicles, crash testing, nhtsa, iihs, zoox, humanetics, thor-av, vehicle safety standards ## Tesla's Cybercab reclines fully The new robotaxi has no steering wheel or pedals. Seats recline so far back that passengers can sleep during rides. ## Tesla warns against reclining The Cybercab rider guide says seats should recline no more than 35 degrees. Staying upright reduces injury risk in a collision or sudden stop. ## Reclining passengers get hurt more Federal data shows 42 people died in crashes over the past decade while reclined. That's likely an undercount since crash positions are hard to verify. > it's really hard to identify people who are sitting out of position ## Regulators are taking notice NHTSA is exploring reclined occupant safety for automated vehicles. The agency sees potential for passengers to recline if driving isn't necessary. ## Current standards assume upright seating Today's safety rules expect passengers to sit upright with seatbelts across their hips. Crash test dummies have inflexible pelvises and can't slouch. ## Updating rules takes years Creating new safety standards requires studies, funding, analysis, and public comments. Autonomous vehicles are finally pushing regulators to modernize. > It's a good time to make sweeping changes ## Seatbelts fail when you recline Belts are designed for upright bodies. When reclined, they tighten around the soft belly instead of the hard pelvis, causing internal bleeding and organ damage. ## Companies need special approval Zoox's bidirectional vehicle has carriage seating where passengers face each other. It took months to get federal permission for 5,000 cars for two years. ## NHTSA is studying new injuries A March report to Congress says the agency is refining its understanding of injuries for reclined occupants in forward and rear-facing seats. ## New crash dummies can recline Humanetics developed THOR-AV dummies with flexible pelvises that adjust to 25, 45, and 65-degree angles. They cost hundreds of thousands of dollars each. ## China is moving fastest CCARI has run hundreds of tests with the new dummy. China will likely require reclined crash tests in two or three years, forcing European automakers to follow. > China is moving faster than anyone. They want to be considered as a safety leader ## China cracks down on nap seats Proposed rules would limit driver seats to 35-degree recline and require warnings if seats recline at high speeds. Tens of models have zero-gravity seats. ## The US has fallen behind Regulators waited for perfect robotic safety that never arrived. Now they're playing catch-up while the Trump administration streamlines rules for driverless cars. > We can't throw the baby out with the bathwater ## Key takeaway Current crash test standards assume upright passengers, but self-driving cars allow reclining and sideways seating that existing safety systems aren't designed to protect.