Tesla Begins Public Road Tests of Mass-Production Cybercab Without Steering Wheel

Tesla has launched engineering tests of its first production-model Cybercabs on public roads in Austin, Texas. The vehicle, which lacks a steering wheel and pedals, was designed from the ground up as a fully autonomous, driverless car and is not a retrofitted model. Each test vehicle carries a safety observer solely to monitor operations and respond to emergencies, with no involvement in driving tasks. The Texas Department of Transportation has confirmed that the vehicle contains no driver-operated controls. This testing marks a new phase in Tesla’s plan to deploy a fleet of autonomous robotaxis. The Cybercab was first unveiled as a concept vehicle on October 10, 2024, and reached on-road testing with production-intent vehicles by June 30, 2026—approximately 20 months later. The initial test phase involves 34 vehicles operating in downtown Austin. Previously, Tesla began pilot driverless ride-hailing operations in Austin on January 22, 2026, using Model Y vehicles without onboard safety operators. By June 3, 2026, this service had expanded citywide, including suburban areas and corridors along Interstate 35. Paid rides for the general public officially launched on June 22, 2026. Current Cybercab engineering tests focus on validating the reliability of production hardware under real-world driving conditions and are not open to regular passengers. Footage captured during testing shows the vehicle’s central touchscreen operating in full FSD (Full Self-Driving) autonomous mode, featuring Tesla’s signature minimalist software interface.