Gene Munster Bullish on Tesla Stock Rebound, Calls NHTSA Probe a "Speed Bump"

Deepwater Asset Management investor Gene Munster believes Tesla Inc. shares could rebound after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced a probe into the Elon Musk-led electric vehicle maker's plan to deploy 1,000 Cybercabs in Austin.

Bullish Scenario for Tesla's Autonomous Driving Efforts

The investor posted on social media platform X on Monday: "I think $TSLA goes up tomorrow because of the NHTSA disclosure that Tesla is ready to launch 1,000 Cybercabs in Austin." The investor then referenced his earlier prediction that the EV giant would deploy 300 Cybercabs in Austin by the end of this month.

He said: "This is good for the stock because it shows Tesla has more confidence in safety than most people expect," referring to the 1,000 Cybercab target, adding, "This is especially positive given Elon's consistent history of paranoia on this topic."

Munster then expressed optimism about the NHTSA probe, calling it a "speed bump" for Musk. The investor said: "They will eventually cave, and then it's full speed ahead."

I think $TSLA goes up tomorrow because of the NHTSA disclosure that Tesla is ready to launch 1,000 Cybercabs in Austin. Last Thursday I estimated they would hit 300 within three months.

This is good for the stock because it shows Tesla has more confidence in safety than most people expect. …

— Gene Munster September 7, 2026

On September 3, NHTSA initiated an audit query into Tesla's Cybercab fleet to determine whether the vehicles comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards given the lack of traditional controls such as steering wheels and pedals.

The agency said in the audit query: "NHTSA is opening this audit query to review the processes and technical data and related issues on which Tesla relied in certifying the Cybercab."

Ross Gerber's Warning

Ross Gerber, co-founder of investment firm Gerber Kawasaki and an investor, issued a warning to Tesla owners as Musk plans to adopt a business model inspired by Airbnb Inc. and Uber Technologies Inc. for Tesla's autonomous robotaxi network.

Gerber had previously backed the Cybercab, saying the vehicle is not as "ugly" as the corresponding robotaxi from Alphabet Inc.'s Waymo. In Edge Rankings, Tesla scored mid-range on growth and quality metrics but underperformed on value and momentum. TSLA also failed to deliver favorable price trends in the short, medium, and long term.

Price Action: TSLA shares fell 0.47% to $352.42 in Tuesday's pre-market trading.