# 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?
- Title: Who oversees a flying Tesla Roadster? DOT has no clear answer
- Summary: 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…
- Keywords: tesla, elon musk, flying car, roadster, department of transportation, faa, nhtsa, regulation, news, oversees, flying, DOT
- Source: CBS News — https://cbsnews.com/news/tesla-roadster-dot-flying-car
- Author: Kris  Van Cleave
- Published: 2026-10-17T00:05:39+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: tesla, elon musk, flying car, roadster, department of transportation, faa, nhtsa, regulation, 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
## Key takeaway

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.