Tesla begins testing Cybercab without pedals or steering wheel in Austin

Tesla has begun testing a production version of its two-seat Cybercab, but without a steering wheel or pedals, in Austin, Texas. At the moment, the test is done with a safety monitor on the right passenger seat, according to a video posted on X, the social media platform run by the electric car maker’s CEO Elon Musk.

The test comes nearly two years after Tesla unveiled the Cybercab design, which aims to be an autonomous robot that can be hailed through Tesla’s app. About a year ago, Tesla began testing the Tesla Robotaxi service in Austin with Model Y SUVs that, at times, used safety monitors.

Tesla has been testing prototype versions of the Cybercab, equipped with a steering wheel and pedals, in several cities around the United States in recent weeks. It has also parked hundreds of cars in parking lots in some of those cities, fueling speculation that the company will eventually launch an advanced robot network.

One of the obstacles to realizing that idea will probably be removed. Last week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration unveiled a proposal that would not mandate brakes on “vehicles designed to be driven by self-driving systems.” The proposal is still in the public comment period, but is expected to pass later this year.

Musk and other Tesla executives have argued that they will be able to compete with the current leader in robotics, Waymo, for a number of reasons. Chief among those reasons is that Tesla builds cars and self-driving software, which is expected to give it greater control over costs compared to Waymo, which relies on partnerships with brands like Jaguar and Zeekr for cars. Tesla is also trying to make the Cybercab fully autonomous using only cameras, while Waymo uses more sophisticated sensors, including lidar and radar.

Tesla — and Musk — have spent years promising that the company will be able to make a fully autonomous car, but it has yet to deploy one at scale. The closest is the robot service in Austin, which has seen its size wax and wane in the year it’s been live. Some of those vehicles have had several accidents, at least two of which were caused by remote drivers.

Of course, Waymo’s robotaxis has also been involved in small accidents, and as the company has grown, it has encountered a number of problems and serious lawsuits, some of which are still being worked on. The Alphabet-owned robotaxis is currently unable to take highways because it has struggled to navigate construction sites, leading to a recall (which is not designed to fix the problem, just to avoid highways). Waymo’s vehicles also struggled to avoid flooded areas during periods of heavy rain, leading to more rollbacks. And they had problems driving legally around school buses.

Tesla is having its own growing pains with the Austin robot network, but some of it has flown under the radar simply because it’s using slightly modified versions of its Model Y SUV. Waymo’s sensor-laden Pace SUVs (and its blue Zeekr vans, which are hitting the roads now) are pretty easy to spot when they’re doing something wrong.

Unveiling the gold-colored two-seater Cybercabs will shine a bright light on Tesla’s push to develop a nationwide robot network, making both its struggles and successes even more visible.