Robyn Denholm Hints At Cheaper Mass Market Tesla - CleanTechnica

Tesla board chair Robyn Denholm recently revealed new details about Tesla’s upcoming Cybercab, which Elon Musk had previously promoted as a fully autonomous robotaxi without traditional controls. Due to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) in the US requiring all vehicles to have steering wheels and pedals, Tesla plans to include these features in the Cybercab to comply with regulations. While exemptions exist for limited production of non-conforming vehicles, these are too restrictive for mass-market models, forcing Tesla to adapt its design. This regulatory environment has also impacted other autonomous vehicle efforts, such as General Motors’ Cruise Origin shuttle, which failed to secure an exemption and ultimately led to the shutdown of GM’s Cruise division. Denholm’s comments also touch on the long-anticipated “Model 2,” an affordable mass-market Tesla internally called Project Redwood. Initially rumored to be produced in Tesla’s German factory to better serve European demand for smaller cars, the Model 2 aims for unprecedented sales volumes—reportedly up to