{
  "id": 7519208,
  "title": "I took Elon Musk's 'golden robot' for a test drive — and saw the Cybercab's strengths and weaknesses first-hand",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/i-took-elon-musks-golden-robot-for-a-test-drive-and-saw-the-cybercabs",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-15T08:55:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Insider",
    "slug": "business-insider",
    "url": "https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-cybercab-test-drive-2026-9"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Jan Klauth, a correspondent from Germany's Welt, recently took a test drive in a Tesla Cybercab in Austin, Texas. The robotaxi, which competes against Uber and Waymo, is devoid of a steering wheel, pedals, dashboard, and gas pedal. Instead, it features a large screen in front of the driver, and the car itself is painted in shimmering gold. As Klauth took control of the driver's seat, she observed a woman ahead of her angrily pounding the nonexistent steering wheel, eventually resorting to using her horn. With 100-degree temperatures and congested rush-hour traffic, Klauth learned that communicating with other drivers is essential in the Cybercab. The car demonstrated its self-driving capabilities by backing up to allow traffic to clear and turning onto the street next to her hotel. Elon Musk's vision for the Cybercab is to undercut competitors like Waymo by offering a much lower cost of $0.20 to $0.40 per mile. When Klauth booked a ride in a regular Model Y robotaxi, she found the wait time to be just a few minutes, compared to the 40-50 minute wait for the Cybercab. Despite its impressive design, including an automatic door that opens upwards, the Cybercab has its drawbacks. The lack of a steering wheel and pedals may make it challenging for emergency responders to access the vehicle in the event of an accident or fire. Klauth expressed concerns about the user-unfriendliness of the Cybercab, citing issues with booking rides and potential failures in the electronics system.",
  "summary": "Tesla's Cybercab doesn't have a steering wheel or brake pedal, but it does have an extravagant golden design. We went for a test ride.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}