No wheel, no pedals: Tesla unleashes Cybercab on the streets of Austin
Tesla’s Cybercab is officially on the roads, and a new video shows just how true to the prototype the autonomous vehicle is.
Image by Getty/picture alliance
Tesla’s Cybercab is officially on the roads, and a new video shows just how true to the prototype the autonomous vehicle is.
- Tesla’s Cybercab has been spotted testing on public roads in Austin, showing that the production vehicle closely matches the original prototype.
- Elon Musk reposted the Austin test-drive video and confirmed that the Cybercab remains true to its driverless design.
- Regulatory hurdles slowed the Cybercab’s rollout, even after Tesla moved operations to Texas, where autonomous vehicle rules are lighter than in California.
- The Cybercab differs from Tesla’s current robotaxis because it is built without driver controls, while Model Y-based robotaxis still include a steering wheel and pedals for possible human intervention.
Almost two years after Tesla unveiled its Cybercab, the fully autonomous vehicle is being tested on public roads, a new video reveals.
Driving along the streets of Austin, Texas, a sneak peek at the Cybercab shows that it stays true to Tesla’s original design.
The minimalist interior has no driver controls – instead of a steering wheel or pedals, the Cybercab is fitted with a large screen which shows the passengers' estimated time of arrival.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk reposted the video, confirming that the Cybercab was taking a test drive through the streets of Austin.
Musk also confirmed that the Cybercab is true to design with no steering wheel or pedals.
Regulatory challenges delayed launch of Tesla Cybercab
The two-seater autonomous cab was first revealed at the We, Robot event in Burbank, California, in 2024, and Tesla has since faced issues getting its Cybercab out on the streets.
Musk moved Tesla’s operations from California to Texas in 2021, as the state has few or no regulations on autonomous vehicles.
Just recently, the Texas Department of Public Safety released a plan for first responders when interacting with Tesla Cybercabs on the road.
While Tesla promised to roll out its Cybercab by June 2025, the driverless vehicle hasn’t been tested in the wild until now.
What’s the difference between a robotaxi and the Cybercab?
Tesla made its robotaxis available to the public a year ago, leaving people confused as to what they were seeing on the roads.
The primary difference between the robotaxi and the Cybercab is that there is usually a “driver” who oversees the journey.
Curious what others think about this story? Contribute your thoughts to the debate below.
Unlike the Cybercab, Tesla’s robotaxis are based on the Tesla Model Y and feature a steering wheel and pedals in case the “driver” needs to intervene for any reason.
Depending on the country or state, autonomous vehicles from major ride-hailing services like Uber or Lyft may pick up a customer by a licensed operator or a completely empty car.
While “ghost” robotaxis have been seen in the wild, Tesla has admitted that employees may remotely control the Tesla Cybercab in certain cases, according to Wired.
Unlock more exclusive Cybernews content on YouTube.