The U.S. Is Considering Removing Steering Wheels From Cars. Tesla Is the Reason Why.
The article says U.S. regulators are considering loosening autonomous-vehicle rules by removing the requirement for steering wheels, a potential boost for Tesla’s Robotaxi and Cybercab strategy. Tesla is positioned as a major beneficiary because its future vehicle design assumes fully driverless operation, while the change could speed commercialization and reduce a key regulatory hurdle. The piece also notes that the NHTSA is simultaneously warning AV developers to address safety issues after reports that driverless cars interfered with first responders and failed to detect emergency scenes properly. Beyond regulation, the article reviews Tesla’s strong autonomy-related growth narrative, but also highlights valuation concerns, recent underperformance versus an autonomous-vehicle ETF, and the company’s heavy 2026 investment plans that may pressure free cash flow. Overall, the news is constructive for Tesla’s long-term autonomy thesis, but tempered by operational and safety risks.