Cybercabs Are Taking Psychotic Routes That Turn Tiny Trips Around the Neighborhood Into Hour-Long Nightmares

Tesla's Cybercab, a driverless vehicle, has been causing confusion and frustration for passengers in Austin with its seemingly irrational routes. One passenger recounted a harrowing experience where their ten-minute trip turned into a 70-minute ordeal due to the cab's circuitous path. The robotic taxi initially drove in the opposite direction of the destination for miles before turning around and taking a lengthy detour.

According to the passenger, the most likely reason for this lengthy journey is that the Cybercab cannot yet navigate highways. The app used by the Cybercab only displays a price estimate and not the expected travel time, which may make the lengthy route seem less perplexing to passengers. However, this lack of information may contribute to the overall dissatisfaction with the service.

Other robotaxi services, like Waymo, have already allowed their vehicles to use highways in certain cities. Cybercabs also appear to be hesitant to navigate railroad crossings, which could further extend travel times. This reluctance might be due to Tesla's recent troubles with its Full Self-Driving software, which has frequently malfunctioned near these crossings.

CEO Elon Musk has previously criticized the need for geofencing in autonomous vehicles, stating that it indicates a lack of true self-driving capability. Investors remain troubled by the apparent lack of progress in Tesla's Cybercab development.