NHTSA Exempts Brake Pedals for Robotaxis; $42.6M Foreclosure Hits Tesla’s Chicago Center
TSLA•National Highway Traffic Safety Administration plans to exempt purpose-built autonomous vehicles from manual brake-control requirements, enabling Tesla to develop dedicated robotaxi models without traditional pedal controls. Washington Capital filed a $42.6 million foreclosure suit against 601W Companies over the Tesla-leased Chicago service center after a $42 million loan default.
1. Regulatory Rule Update
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration plans to propose changes to federal vehicle rules that would exempt purpose-built autonomous vehicles from manual brake-control requirements. This move allows Tesla to design fully driverless robotaxi models without brake pedals or standard manual controls, while preserving existing braking-performance standards such as stopping-distance regulations.
2. Chicago Service Center Foreclosure
Washington Capital, acting for affiliated lender entities, filed a foreclosure complaint seeking $42.6 million from 601W Companies over the Tesla-leased service and maintenance facility at 717 South Desplaines Street in Chicago. The lawsuit alleges default on a $42 million loan originated in July 2023—with $665,000 in accrued default interest and interest accruing at $16,333 per day—following four extension agreements and a maturity default notice issued June 10.
