Tesla's Cybercab now available for ride-hailing
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A passenger exits a Tesla Cybercab during an invite-only launch event in Austin, Texas Thursday. Photo: Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images
Tesla customers in Austin, Texas, can now book rides in a driverless Cybercab that has no steering wheel or pedals.
Why it matters: While the initial fleet size is limited, the Cybercab's official commercial launch marks the beginning of CEO Elon Musk's vision for an autonomous future.
Driving the news: Tesla held an invite-only event in Austin last night to give influencers and Tesla loyalists the first rides in the gold-painted two-seater with gull-wing doors and no human controls or mirrors.
- A video promoting the ride experience promised "theater, music and gaming apps on a 22" touchscreen" and said Cybercabs would soon "be equipped with V5 Starlink hardware, too, for complete connectivity."
Customers can book Cybercabs through Tesla's Robotaxi ride-hailing app, just as they'd hail a ride with Uber, Lyft or Waymo.
Reality check: You might have to wait a while since only 45 Cybercabs are registered in Texas to date, out of a statewide fleet of 420 robotaxis, mostly conventional Model Ys equipped with Tesla's full self-driving (FSD) software.
What we're watching: Tesla has built manufacturing capacity to build 125,000 Cybercabs a year.
- Musk's ambition is to produce them by the millions.
- To achieve that kind of scale, however, Tesla appears prepared to self-certify that its unconventional vehicle complies with federal safety standards, rather than seek exemptions from existing requirements its design may not meet, which would put a cap on production.
Friction point: It's a legal stance that could yet by challenged by U.S. regulators.
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which does not pre-approve new vehicles or technologies, said Tesla has not filed an exemption request for the Cybercab.
- "NHTSA is in touch with the company and is monitoring the situation," the agency said in a statement.
The intrigue: One way Tesla expects to grow is by inviting individuals and entrepreneurs to deploy their own cars on the ride-hailing network alongside Tesla-owned vehicles.
- Tesla on Thursday began soliciting interest from people who want to buy a fleet of Cybercabs for commercial purposes — or to build mobility hubs or infrastructure to service them.
- "Help us build our Robotaxi network," says a newly posted webpage with a form for people to fill out. For now, Cybercabs are not for sale to the public.
