Tesla begins Cybercab rides in Austin; US safety regulator steps in
Tesla launched limited Cybercab rides in Austin, prompting NHTSA to evaluate the situation. The move is key to Tesla's robotaxi ambitions.
Tesla has begun offering rides in its two-seater Cybercab, a vehicle without a steering wheel or pedals, in limited areas of Austin, Texas. The development has drawn the attention of the US auto safety regulator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which confirmed it is in contact with Tesla and evaluating the situation.
The launch marks a step in CEO Elon Musk's long-held ambition to make Tesla a dominant force in driverless vehicles. The company has been promoting the event in Austin for weeks, with several investors and social media personalities posting videos of themselves in the gold-coloured cars. Tesla's promotional material describes the Cybercab as the first car built specifically for unsupervised full self-driving.
The Cybercab is intended to eventually become the primary vehicle in Tesla's robotaxi network, which currently operates a limited service using autonomous Model Ys, some with human safety monitors. The company has said production of the Cybercab began in April 2026, though Musk has cautioned that initial output will be slow.
Analysts and investors view driverless vehicles as a central pillar of Tesla's market value, especially as its core electric-vehicle business faces intense competition from Chinese manufacturers. However, the rollout faces significant regulatory hurdles. Federal rules cap the number of vehicles a manufacturer can sell without steering wheels and pedals, and Tesla lacks permits in California to operate a robotaxi service or test driverless vehicles without a safety driver.
Real-world testing has also revealed service gaps. In Dallas and Houston, reporters experienced long wait times and occasional unavailability. On three occasions, a robotaxi failed to drop a passenger at his downtown destination within the advertised service area, leaving him about a 15-minute walk away.
Texas state records show Tesla has 420 autonomous vehicles registered, including 45 Cybercabs. For context, Alphabet's Waymo, the current US leader in driverless taxis, has 988 vehicles registered in the state.