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Tesla Launches Two‑Seat, Wheel‑Free Cybercab and Begins Limited Public Rides

The Thursday Austin debut marks Tesla’s first operational step toward a commercial robotaxi fleet, but production scale, federal limits and active safety reviews restrict broader deployment.

Overview

  • Tesla held an invite-only launch in Austin on Thursday and started offering paid Cybercab rides to the public inside a company geofence.
  • Texas vehicle records show Tesla has added dozens of Cybercabs to its authorized fleet, with 45 Cybercabs listed in state filings.
  • The Cybercab is a purpose-built two-seat vehicle with no steering wheel or pedals and began limited engineering test drives and employee rides after production started earlier this year.
  • Regulatory and safety constraints limit expansion because U.S. rules restrict commercial sales of vehicles without conventional controls and California currently requires safety drivers for tests.
  • Tesla opened a public interest form for fleet buyers as it pursues lower-cost, camera-first robotaxis that must still resolve safety scrutiny and competition from larger lidar-equipped fleets such as Waymo.