Tesla’s Cybercab launch puts its robotaxi ambitions to the test

Tesla is preparing to launch the Cybercab, a small gold two-seater sedan without a steering wheel or pedals. The vehicle uses cameras and AI to navigate and is expected to operate as a robotaxi.

The company has not said exactly what the Austin, Texas, launch will include. It could involve a small number of rides in a limited downtown area or a larger event. Tesla staged dozens of Cybercabs around Austin and other U.S. cities before the launch. Texas’s automated vehicle tracker listed 420 autonomous vehicles when the story was published.

Tesla’s current Robotaxi program began testing in Austin last June with modified Model Y SUVs. Employees initially rode in the front seat and could stop the vehicles if needed. Tesla has reported a few dozen incidents in Austin, mostly minor crashes involving stationary objects. Some vehicles were also moved remotely by teleoperators at low speeds.

The company has expanded the Model Y-based system to other cities in Texas and Florida, but the network’s paid miles declined in July. Tesla designed the Cybercab around lower production costs. It is smaller and lighter than other Tesla vehicles and has a lower-capacity battery pack. The vehicle represents Tesla’s effort to use a new platform for a fully autonomous robotaxi rather than a manually driven car.