Tesla begins testing production Cybercab with no steering wheel or pedals in Austin

Tesla has started testing the production version of its Cybercab robotaxi on the roads of Austin, Texas. The two-seat vehicle has no steering wheel or pedals and is driven entirely by the company's autonomous software, while an employee sits in the right-hand passenger seat as a safety monitor.

How the Austin testing works

Tesla published a video of the Cybercab driving on public roads. The car has neither a steering wheel nor pedals. The autonomous driving system handles every maneuver, and an employee in the right-hand passenger seat oversees safety.

• Model: Cybercab, a two-seat Tesla vehicle
• First unveiled by the company in October 2024
• The test production version has no steering wheel or pedals
• Testing takes place on public roads in Austin, Texas
• The autonomous software does all the driving; an employee rides along as a monitor

When Tesla first showed the Cybercab

Tesla first unveiled the Cybercab in October 2024 as a concept for a driverless robotaxi with no manual controls. Testing the production version on Austin roads is Tesla's next step toward launching a commercial service, moving from a static concept on a stage to real-world road testing.

How this fits into the robotaxi race

Tesla isn't the only company testing driverless taxis on US roads. The robotaxi industry has spent several years in head-to-head competition to be first with a mass-market commercial driverless service. What sets Tesla's approach apart is its bet on a vehicle designed from the start without a steering wheel or pedals, while some competitors retrofit production cars and keep manual controls as a fallback.

The regulatory side of testing in Texas

Texas has for several years been one of the most permissive US states for autonomous vehicle testing. State authorities don't require a separate permit for each robotaxi test drive, so companies can put prototypes on public roads faster than in states with stricter rules. That's why major robotaxi testing in recent years has increasingly clustered in Austin and other Texas cities, not just in California, where Tesla spent years refining its Full Self-Driving autonomous driving system.

What it means

Putting the production Cybercab on public roads without a steering wheel or pedals is a milestone for Tesla in the robotaxi race. The company is moving from concept demos to real road testing, though for now a safety monitor must ride in the cabin. Having such a monitor is standard practice in the early stages of testing any autonomous vehicle. The monitor doesn't drive the car directly but can trigger an emergency stop if the autonomous system behaves unpredictably. As the number of these interventions falls, companies typically win approval to remove the monitor from the cabin entirely.

FAQ

Does the Cybercab have a steering wheel or pedals?

No. The production test version of the Cybercab that Tesla is testing on Austin roads is driven entirely by the company's autonomous software and has neither a steering wheel nor pedals.

When did Tesla first show the Cybercab?

Tesla first unveiled the Cybercab in October 2024 as a concept for a two-seat driverless robotaxi.