Tesla begins testing production Cybercab without steering wheel or pedals in Austin

Tesla began testing the production Cybercab, a steering wheel and pedal-free autonomous taxi, on the roads of Austin, Texas. The two-seater vehicle is fully controlled by the company's autonomous driving software, with a company safety monitor occupying the passenger seat on the right.

How Testing in Austin Is Proceeding

Tesla released video of Cybercab trials on public roads. The vehicle has neither a steering wheel nor pedals — all maneuvers are executed by the autonomous driving system, while a company safety monitor seated on the passenger's right maintains oversight.

• Model — Cybercab, a Tesla two-seater vehicle
• First introduced by the company in October 2024
• The test production version has no steering wheel or pedals
• Trials are taking place on public roads in Austin, Texas
• The driving is handled entirely by autonomous software, with a safety monitor present in the vehicle

When Tesla First Showed the Cybercab

Tesla first introduced the Cybercab in October 2024 as a concept for a driverless robotic taxi without manual controls. The start of production vehicle testing on Austin roads represents the next step for Tesla toward launching a commercial service: from a static stage concept to real-world road trials.

How This Fits Into the Robotaxi Race

Tesla is not the only company testing autonomous taxis on U.S. roads: the robotaxi industry has operated in a mode of direct competition for several years, racing to be first to offer a mass-market commercial driverless service. Tesla's approach differs in its bet on a vehicle originally designed without a steering wheel or pedals, while some competitors retrofit production vehicles while retaining manual controls as a backup option.

The Regulatory Side of Texas Testing

Texas has remained one of the most favorable U.S. states for autonomous vehicle testing for several years: local authorities do not require separate approval for each robotic vehicle test run, allowing companies to deploy prototypes on public roads faster than in states with stricter regulations. This is why major robotaxi trials in recent years increasingly concentrate in Austin and other Texas cities, rather than California alone, where Tesla spent years perfecting its Full Self-Driving autonomous system.

What This Means

The rollout of the production Cybercab on public roads without steering wheel or pedals marks a major step for Tesla in the robotaxi race: the company is moving from demonstrating a concept to real-world road testing, though currently with a required safety monitor in the vehicle. The presence of such a monitor is standard practice in early stages of any robotic vehicle testing: they do not directly operate the vehicle, but can emergency stop the ride if the autonomous system behaves unexpectedly, and as interventions decrease, companies typically gain permission to remove the monitor from the cabin entirely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Cybercab have a steering wheel or pedals?

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

When did Tesla first introduce the Cybercab?

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