Tesla says it is offering Cybercab rides in limited areas of Austin, Texas

Austin, Texas, September 3: Tesla has begun offering rides in limited areas of the city using its two-seater Cybercab, a vehicle devoid of a steering wheel or pedals. The company has been promoting an exclusive Cybercab launch event in Austin, but there was no live footage posted of the event and no public remarks from Tesla executives by late Thursday.

Tesla's robotaxi service, which currently consists of autonomous Model Ys with safety monitors and some without, aims to make the Cybercab the primary driverless model in its network. Tesla updated its robotaxi website with more details about the Cybercab, including the availability of rides only in some parts of Austin, but it is unclear whether the rides will be charged or if anyone using the app in the city can secure a ride.

Several Tesla investors and social media personalities attended the event in Austin, posting videos of themselves in the gold Cybercabs. Despite CEO Elon Musk's promises of imminent driverless Teslas, including a Cybercab unveiling in October 2024 at a Los Angeles-area movie studio, Tesla's robotaxi rollout has fallen short of his targets, and some analysts have flagged the slower-than-expected growth.