\n<\/p>\n
At a private, closed-door event in Austin, Texas today, Tesla officially launched its gilded car of the future: the Cybercab. It\u2019s a huge milestone for Elon Musk, who has been hyping the imminent arrival of driverless cars for years and has bet the future of his company<\/a> on AI, autonomous vehicles, and humanoid robots.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nIt was an unusually muted event, with no livestream, no journalists, and a very short invite list comprised mostly of pro-Tesla content creators. Tesla influencers planning live shows with the event stream were left streaming the webpage<\/a> that tracks the number of Tesla robotaxis in Texas instead.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nBut if the goal was to blunt criticism, it didn\u2019t work. Invitee Chuck Cook said<\/a> the company had him sign an NDA and agreed to an embargo requiring to wait to post content until after the event was over. On X, pro-Tesla accounts who weren\u2019t invited grumbled about the decision; Not a Tesla App accused<\/a> the company of \u201cdropping the ball.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nAs of this week, Tesla has 45 Cybercab vehicles registered with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles<\/a> \u2014 though its not clear how many will be put into commercial service right away. Several vehicles were made available to Tesla influencers in Austin for content creation; the company has been testing them in various cities for months now. Tesla also launched a new website for its Robotaxi service<\/a>, which includes the rules for riding in the new vehicle. For example, children under the age of 13 are currently banned from riding in the Cybercab. Several videos were posted, highlighting the interior, crash test worthiness, and accessibility. (The accessibility video<\/a> was especially befuddling<\/a>, showing a wheelchair user getting up to fold and stow his own wheelchair.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nWith the new Cybercabs, Tesla now has 256 unsupervised autonomous vehicles in operation across six cities, according to Robotaxi Tracker<\/a>. By comparison, Alphabet\u2019s Waymo is currently operating approximately 4,000 vehicles across 14 cities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nBut there were still many lingering questions about the Cybercab. Two years ago, Musk said the two-seater would be available for purchase, perhaps for a price as low as $30,000. But the company still has yet say when the Cybercab would go on sale. There is a new online form<\/a> for those interested in \u201cfuture Robotaxi opportunities,\u201d such as purchasing a fleet of Cybercabs or building \u201cmobility hubs and infrastructure.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nFor the past year, Tesla has been operating a robotaxi service in Texas and Florida using several dozen modified Model Y vehicles, some of which are supervised by human safety drivers and some of which are not. With the introduction of the Cybercab, the company is embarking on a risky new phase that will pit Musk\u2019s stripped-down, less costly approach to autonomy against more established players like Waymo.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nThe Cybercab, which was first introduced in 2024<\/a>, is a two-seat sedan with gullwing-style doors and eight cameras that it uses to navigate the world without a driver. The vehicle lacks traditional controls, like steering wheel, pedals, and mirrors \u2014 as well as sensors commonly found on other robotaxis, like radar and lidar.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nThe Cybercab is also the lightest, most range-efficient vehicle<\/a> Tesla has ever produced. According to documents filed with the Environmental Protection Agency, the Cybercab runs on a single front-mounted 219 horsepower permanent magnet motor with front-wheel drive, a compact 48kWh battery pack running at 326 volts, and a curb weight of just 3,113 pounds \u2014 making it roughly 700 pounds lighter than the lightest Model 3 on the market. That\u2019s roughly the same as a gas-powered compact car, despite the fact that it\u2019s still carrying a relatively heavy lithium-ion battery.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nFor years, Musk has been promising the imminent arrival of Tesla\u2019s driverless cars, only time and time again to fall short of those predictions. He claimed<\/a> that 50 percent of the US population would have access to Tesla\u2019s robotaxis by the end of 2025. Today, the vehicles are only available in six cities in Texas and Florida. (Tesla is running a human-driven ridehail service in the San Francisco Bay Area, but has yet to apply for a driverless testing permit from California.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nFor Tesla\u2019s vehicle owners, there\u2019s been a string of broken promises<\/a>. In 2016, Musk promised that every vehicle Tesla produced from then on would have all the technology necessary for self-driving. Years later, he was forced to retract that claim<\/a>, acknowledging that the hardware in some older vehicles was insufficient to support autonomous capabilities. Musk promised to retrofit those customers\u2019 vehicles, but has yet to offer any details as to how that would work. Tesla is currently facing multiple lawsuits<\/a> from customers and regulators claiming it has misled the public about its self-driving capabilities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nToday, the company\u2019s $99-a-month Full Self-Driving feature is still just a Level 2 driver-assist system that requires constant human supervision. During Tesla\u2019s first quarter earnings call this year, Musk promised that \u201cunsupervised\u201d FSD would be available to customer vehicles by the end of 2026 \u201cat the earliest,\u201d admitting that complex intersections, bad road markings, and weather were likely to slow the rollout.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nTesla\u2019s fans will likely point to today\u2019s Cybercab launch as a moment of enormous significance for the company. Investors already seem to agree, with Tesla\u2019s stock price trading up nearly six points over the past five days. Analysts view robotaxis as one of the primary justifications for Tesla\u2019s $1.18 trillion valuation, and the key that will unlock the company\u2019s future. Tesla\u2019s EV sales have slowed down in the face of rising competition, especially from China. And Musk has made massive investments in AI and robotics, with some speculating he could try to merge Tesla <\/a>with the recently public SpaceXAI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nFollow topics and authors<\/strong> from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<\/svg><\/span>Andrew J. Hawkins<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
It was an unusually muted event, with no livestream, no journalists, and a very short invite list comprised mostly of pro-Tesla content creators. Tesla influencers planning live shows with the event stream were left streaming the webpage<\/a> that tracks the number of Tesla robotaxis in Texas instead.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nBut if the goal was to blunt criticism, it didn\u2019t work. Invitee Chuck Cook said<\/a> the company had him sign an NDA and agreed to an embargo requiring to wait to post content until after the event was over. On X, pro-Tesla accounts who weren\u2019t invited grumbled about the decision; Not a Tesla App accused<\/a> the company of \u201cdropping the ball.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nAs of this week, Tesla has 45 Cybercab vehicles registered with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles<\/a> \u2014 though its not clear how many will be put into commercial service right away. Several vehicles were made available to Tesla influencers in Austin for content creation; the company has been testing them in various cities for months now. Tesla also launched a new website for its Robotaxi service<\/a>, which includes the rules for riding in the new vehicle. For example, children under the age of 13 are currently banned from riding in the Cybercab. Several videos were posted, highlighting the interior, crash test worthiness, and accessibility. (The accessibility video<\/a> was especially befuddling<\/a>, showing a wheelchair user getting up to fold and stow his own wheelchair.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nWith the new Cybercabs, Tesla now has 256 unsupervised autonomous vehicles in operation across six cities, according to Robotaxi Tracker<\/a>. By comparison, Alphabet\u2019s Waymo is currently operating approximately 4,000 vehicles across 14 cities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nBut there were still many lingering questions about the Cybercab. Two years ago, Musk said the two-seater would be available for purchase, perhaps for a price as low as $30,000. But the company still has yet say when the Cybercab would go on sale. There is a new online form<\/a> for those interested in \u201cfuture Robotaxi opportunities,\u201d such as purchasing a fleet of Cybercabs or building \u201cmobility hubs and infrastructure.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nFor the past year, Tesla has been operating a robotaxi service in Texas and Florida using several dozen modified Model Y vehicles, some of which are supervised by human safety drivers and some of which are not. With the introduction of the Cybercab, the company is embarking on a risky new phase that will pit Musk\u2019s stripped-down, less costly approach to autonomy against more established players like Waymo.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nThe Cybercab, which was first introduced in 2024<\/a>, is a two-seat sedan with gullwing-style doors and eight cameras that it uses to navigate the world without a driver. The vehicle lacks traditional controls, like steering wheel, pedals, and mirrors \u2014 as well as sensors commonly found on other robotaxis, like radar and lidar.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nThe Cybercab is also the lightest, most range-efficient vehicle<\/a> Tesla has ever produced. According to documents filed with the Environmental Protection Agency, the Cybercab runs on a single front-mounted 219 horsepower permanent magnet motor with front-wheel drive, a compact 48kWh battery pack running at 326 volts, and a curb weight of just 3,113 pounds \u2014 making it roughly 700 pounds lighter than the lightest Model 3 on the market. That\u2019s roughly the same as a gas-powered compact car, despite the fact that it\u2019s still carrying a relatively heavy lithium-ion battery.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nFor years, Musk has been promising the imminent arrival of Tesla\u2019s driverless cars, only time and time again to fall short of those predictions. He claimed<\/a> that 50 percent of the US population would have access to Tesla\u2019s robotaxis by the end of 2025. Today, the vehicles are only available in six cities in Texas and Florida. (Tesla is running a human-driven ridehail service in the San Francisco Bay Area, but has yet to apply for a driverless testing permit from California.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nFor Tesla\u2019s vehicle owners, there\u2019s been a string of broken promises<\/a>. In 2016, Musk promised that every vehicle Tesla produced from then on would have all the technology necessary for self-driving. Years later, he was forced to retract that claim<\/a>, acknowledging that the hardware in some older vehicles was insufficient to support autonomous capabilities. Musk promised to retrofit those customers\u2019 vehicles, but has yet to offer any details as to how that would work. Tesla is currently facing multiple lawsuits<\/a> from customers and regulators claiming it has misled the public about its self-driving capabilities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nToday, the company\u2019s $99-a-month Full Self-Driving feature is still just a Level 2 driver-assist system that requires constant human supervision. During Tesla\u2019s first quarter earnings call this year, Musk promised that \u201cunsupervised\u201d FSD would be available to customer vehicles by the end of 2026 \u201cat the earliest,\u201d admitting that complex intersections, bad road markings, and weather were likely to slow the rollout.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nTesla\u2019s fans will likely point to today\u2019s Cybercab launch as a moment of enormous significance for the company. Investors already seem to agree, with Tesla\u2019s stock price trading up nearly six points over the past five days. Analysts view robotaxis as one of the primary justifications for Tesla\u2019s $1.18 trillion valuation, and the key that will unlock the company\u2019s future. Tesla\u2019s EV sales have slowed down in the face of rising competition, especially from China. And Musk has made massive investments in AI and robotics, with some speculating he could try to merge Tesla <\/a>with the recently public SpaceXAI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nFollow topics and authors<\/strong> from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<\/svg><\/span>Andrew J. Hawkins<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
But if the goal was to blunt criticism, it didn\u2019t work. Invitee Chuck Cook said<\/a> the company had him sign an NDA and agreed to an embargo requiring to wait to post content until after the event was over. On X, pro-Tesla accounts who weren\u2019t invited grumbled about the decision; Not a Tesla App accused<\/a> the company of \u201cdropping the ball.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nAs of this week, Tesla has 45 Cybercab vehicles registered with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles<\/a> \u2014 though its not clear how many will be put into commercial service right away. Several vehicles were made available to Tesla influencers in Austin for content creation; the company has been testing them in various cities for months now. Tesla also launched a new website for its Robotaxi service<\/a>, which includes the rules for riding in the new vehicle. For example, children under the age of 13 are currently banned from riding in the Cybercab. Several videos were posted, highlighting the interior, crash test worthiness, and accessibility. (The accessibility video<\/a> was especially befuddling<\/a>, showing a wheelchair user getting up to fold and stow his own wheelchair.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nWith the new Cybercabs, Tesla now has 256 unsupervised autonomous vehicles in operation across six cities, according to Robotaxi Tracker<\/a>. By comparison, Alphabet\u2019s Waymo is currently operating approximately 4,000 vehicles across 14 cities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nBut there were still many lingering questions about the Cybercab. Two years ago, Musk said the two-seater would be available for purchase, perhaps for a price as low as $30,000. But the company still has yet say when the Cybercab would go on sale. There is a new online form<\/a> for those interested in \u201cfuture Robotaxi opportunities,\u201d such as purchasing a fleet of Cybercabs or building \u201cmobility hubs and infrastructure.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nFor the past year, Tesla has been operating a robotaxi service in Texas and Florida using several dozen modified Model Y vehicles, some of which are supervised by human safety drivers and some of which are not. With the introduction of the Cybercab, the company is embarking on a risky new phase that will pit Musk\u2019s stripped-down, less costly approach to autonomy against more established players like Waymo.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nThe Cybercab, which was first introduced in 2024<\/a>, is a two-seat sedan with gullwing-style doors and eight cameras that it uses to navigate the world without a driver. The vehicle lacks traditional controls, like steering wheel, pedals, and mirrors \u2014 as well as sensors commonly found on other robotaxis, like radar and lidar.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nThe Cybercab is also the lightest, most range-efficient vehicle<\/a> Tesla has ever produced. According to documents filed with the Environmental Protection Agency, the Cybercab runs on a single front-mounted 219 horsepower permanent magnet motor with front-wheel drive, a compact 48kWh battery pack running at 326 volts, and a curb weight of just 3,113 pounds \u2014 making it roughly 700 pounds lighter than the lightest Model 3 on the market. That\u2019s roughly the same as a gas-powered compact car, despite the fact that it\u2019s still carrying a relatively heavy lithium-ion battery.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nFor years, Musk has been promising the imminent arrival of Tesla\u2019s driverless cars, only time and time again to fall short of those predictions. He claimed<\/a> that 50 percent of the US population would have access to Tesla\u2019s robotaxis by the end of 2025. Today, the vehicles are only available in six cities in Texas and Florida. (Tesla is running a human-driven ridehail service in the San Francisco Bay Area, but has yet to apply for a driverless testing permit from California.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nFor Tesla\u2019s vehicle owners, there\u2019s been a string of broken promises<\/a>. In 2016, Musk promised that every vehicle Tesla produced from then on would have all the technology necessary for self-driving. Years later, he was forced to retract that claim<\/a>, acknowledging that the hardware in some older vehicles was insufficient to support autonomous capabilities. Musk promised to retrofit those customers\u2019 vehicles, but has yet to offer any details as to how that would work. Tesla is currently facing multiple lawsuits<\/a> from customers and regulators claiming it has misled the public about its self-driving capabilities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nToday, the company\u2019s $99-a-month Full Self-Driving feature is still just a Level 2 driver-assist system that requires constant human supervision. During Tesla\u2019s first quarter earnings call this year, Musk promised that \u201cunsupervised\u201d FSD would be available to customer vehicles by the end of 2026 \u201cat the earliest,\u201d admitting that complex intersections, bad road markings, and weather were likely to slow the rollout.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nTesla\u2019s fans will likely point to today\u2019s Cybercab launch as a moment of enormous significance for the company. Investors already seem to agree, with Tesla\u2019s stock price trading up nearly six points over the past five days. Analysts view robotaxis as one of the primary justifications for Tesla\u2019s $1.18 trillion valuation, and the key that will unlock the company\u2019s future. Tesla\u2019s EV sales have slowed down in the face of rising competition, especially from China. And Musk has made massive investments in AI and robotics, with some speculating he could try to merge Tesla <\/a>with the recently public SpaceXAI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nFollow topics and authors<\/strong> from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<\/svg><\/span>Andrew J. Hawkins<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
As of this week, Tesla has 45 Cybercab vehicles registered with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles<\/a> \u2014 though its not clear how many will be put into commercial service right away. Several vehicles were made available to Tesla influencers in Austin for content creation; the company has been testing them in various cities for months now. Tesla also launched a new website for its Robotaxi service<\/a>, which includes the rules for riding in the new vehicle. For example, children under the age of 13 are currently banned from riding in the Cybercab. Several videos were posted, highlighting the interior, crash test worthiness, and accessibility. (The accessibility video<\/a> was especially befuddling<\/a>, showing a wheelchair user getting up to fold and stow his own wheelchair.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nWith the new Cybercabs, Tesla now has 256 unsupervised autonomous vehicles in operation across six cities, according to Robotaxi Tracker<\/a>. By comparison, Alphabet\u2019s Waymo is currently operating approximately 4,000 vehicles across 14 cities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nBut there were still many lingering questions about the Cybercab. Two years ago, Musk said the two-seater would be available for purchase, perhaps for a price as low as $30,000. But the company still has yet say when the Cybercab would go on sale. There is a new online form<\/a> for those interested in \u201cfuture Robotaxi opportunities,\u201d such as purchasing a fleet of Cybercabs or building \u201cmobility hubs and infrastructure.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nFor the past year, Tesla has been operating a robotaxi service in Texas and Florida using several dozen modified Model Y vehicles, some of which are supervised by human safety drivers and some of which are not. With the introduction of the Cybercab, the company is embarking on a risky new phase that will pit Musk\u2019s stripped-down, less costly approach to autonomy against more established players like Waymo.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nThe Cybercab, which was first introduced in 2024<\/a>, is a two-seat sedan with gullwing-style doors and eight cameras that it uses to navigate the world without a driver. The vehicle lacks traditional controls, like steering wheel, pedals, and mirrors \u2014 as well as sensors commonly found on other robotaxis, like radar and lidar.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nThe Cybercab is also the lightest, most range-efficient vehicle<\/a> Tesla has ever produced. According to documents filed with the Environmental Protection Agency, the Cybercab runs on a single front-mounted 219 horsepower permanent magnet motor with front-wheel drive, a compact 48kWh battery pack running at 326 volts, and a curb weight of just 3,113 pounds \u2014 making it roughly 700 pounds lighter than the lightest Model 3 on the market. That\u2019s roughly the same as a gas-powered compact car, despite the fact that it\u2019s still carrying a relatively heavy lithium-ion battery.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nFor years, Musk has been promising the imminent arrival of Tesla\u2019s driverless cars, only time and time again to fall short of those predictions. He claimed<\/a> that 50 percent of the US population would have access to Tesla\u2019s robotaxis by the end of 2025. Today, the vehicles are only available in six cities in Texas and Florida. (Tesla is running a human-driven ridehail service in the San Francisco Bay Area, but has yet to apply for a driverless testing permit from California.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nFor Tesla\u2019s vehicle owners, there\u2019s been a string of broken promises<\/a>. In 2016, Musk promised that every vehicle Tesla produced from then on would have all the technology necessary for self-driving. Years later, he was forced to retract that claim<\/a>, acknowledging that the hardware in some older vehicles was insufficient to support autonomous capabilities. Musk promised to retrofit those customers\u2019 vehicles, but has yet to offer any details as to how that would work. Tesla is currently facing multiple lawsuits<\/a> from customers and regulators claiming it has misled the public about its self-driving capabilities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nToday, the company\u2019s $99-a-month Full Self-Driving feature is still just a Level 2 driver-assist system that requires constant human supervision. During Tesla\u2019s first quarter earnings call this year, Musk promised that \u201cunsupervised\u201d FSD would be available to customer vehicles by the end of 2026 \u201cat the earliest,\u201d admitting that complex intersections, bad road markings, and weather were likely to slow the rollout.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nTesla\u2019s fans will likely point to today\u2019s Cybercab launch as a moment of enormous significance for the company. Investors already seem to agree, with Tesla\u2019s stock price trading up nearly six points over the past five days. Analysts view robotaxis as one of the primary justifications for Tesla\u2019s $1.18 trillion valuation, and the key that will unlock the company\u2019s future. Tesla\u2019s EV sales have slowed down in the face of rising competition, especially from China. And Musk has made massive investments in AI and robotics, with some speculating he could try to merge Tesla <\/a>with the recently public SpaceXAI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nFollow topics and authors<\/strong> from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<\/svg><\/span>Andrew J. Hawkins<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
With the new Cybercabs, Tesla now has 256 unsupervised autonomous vehicles in operation across six cities, according to Robotaxi Tracker<\/a>. By comparison, Alphabet\u2019s Waymo is currently operating approximately 4,000 vehicles across 14 cities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nBut there were still many lingering questions about the Cybercab. Two years ago, Musk said the two-seater would be available for purchase, perhaps for a price as low as $30,000. But the company still has yet say when the Cybercab would go on sale. There is a new online form<\/a> for those interested in \u201cfuture Robotaxi opportunities,\u201d such as purchasing a fleet of Cybercabs or building \u201cmobility hubs and infrastructure.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nFor the past year, Tesla has been operating a robotaxi service in Texas and Florida using several dozen modified Model Y vehicles, some of which are supervised by human safety drivers and some of which are not. With the introduction of the Cybercab, the company is embarking on a risky new phase that will pit Musk\u2019s stripped-down, less costly approach to autonomy against more established players like Waymo.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nThe Cybercab, which was first introduced in 2024<\/a>, is a two-seat sedan with gullwing-style doors and eight cameras that it uses to navigate the world without a driver. The vehicle lacks traditional controls, like steering wheel, pedals, and mirrors \u2014 as well as sensors commonly found on other robotaxis, like radar and lidar.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nThe Cybercab is also the lightest, most range-efficient vehicle<\/a> Tesla has ever produced. According to documents filed with the Environmental Protection Agency, the Cybercab runs on a single front-mounted 219 horsepower permanent magnet motor with front-wheel drive, a compact 48kWh battery pack running at 326 volts, and a curb weight of just 3,113 pounds \u2014 making it roughly 700 pounds lighter than the lightest Model 3 on the market. That\u2019s roughly the same as a gas-powered compact car, despite the fact that it\u2019s still carrying a relatively heavy lithium-ion battery.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nFor years, Musk has been promising the imminent arrival of Tesla\u2019s driverless cars, only time and time again to fall short of those predictions. He claimed<\/a> that 50 percent of the US population would have access to Tesla\u2019s robotaxis by the end of 2025. Today, the vehicles are only available in six cities in Texas and Florida. (Tesla is running a human-driven ridehail service in the San Francisco Bay Area, but has yet to apply for a driverless testing permit from California.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nFor Tesla\u2019s vehicle owners, there\u2019s been a string of broken promises<\/a>. In 2016, Musk promised that every vehicle Tesla produced from then on would have all the technology necessary for self-driving. Years later, he was forced to retract that claim<\/a>, acknowledging that the hardware in some older vehicles was insufficient to support autonomous capabilities. Musk promised to retrofit those customers\u2019 vehicles, but has yet to offer any details as to how that would work. Tesla is currently facing multiple lawsuits<\/a> from customers and regulators claiming it has misled the public about its self-driving capabilities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nToday, the company\u2019s $99-a-month Full Self-Driving feature is still just a Level 2 driver-assist system that requires constant human supervision. During Tesla\u2019s first quarter earnings call this year, Musk promised that \u201cunsupervised\u201d FSD would be available to customer vehicles by the end of 2026 \u201cat the earliest,\u201d admitting that complex intersections, bad road markings, and weather were likely to slow the rollout.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nTesla\u2019s fans will likely point to today\u2019s Cybercab launch as a moment of enormous significance for the company. Investors already seem to agree, with Tesla\u2019s stock price trading up nearly six points over the past five days. Analysts view robotaxis as one of the primary justifications for Tesla\u2019s $1.18 trillion valuation, and the key that will unlock the company\u2019s future. Tesla\u2019s EV sales have slowed down in the face of rising competition, especially from China. And Musk has made massive investments in AI and robotics, with some speculating he could try to merge Tesla <\/a>with the recently public SpaceXAI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nFollow topics and authors<\/strong> from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<\/svg><\/span>Andrew J. Hawkins<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
But there were still many lingering questions about the Cybercab. Two years ago, Musk said the two-seater would be available for purchase, perhaps for a price as low as $30,000. But the company still has yet say when the Cybercab would go on sale. There is a new online form<\/a> for those interested in \u201cfuture Robotaxi opportunities,\u201d such as purchasing a fleet of Cybercabs or building \u201cmobility hubs and infrastructure.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nFor the past year, Tesla has been operating a robotaxi service in Texas and Florida using several dozen modified Model Y vehicles, some of which are supervised by human safety drivers and some of which are not. With the introduction of the Cybercab, the company is embarking on a risky new phase that will pit Musk\u2019s stripped-down, less costly approach to autonomy against more established players like Waymo.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nThe Cybercab, which was first introduced in 2024<\/a>, is a two-seat sedan with gullwing-style doors and eight cameras that it uses to navigate the world without a driver. The vehicle lacks traditional controls, like steering wheel, pedals, and mirrors \u2014 as well as sensors commonly found on other robotaxis, like radar and lidar.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nThe Cybercab is also the lightest, most range-efficient vehicle<\/a> Tesla has ever produced. According to documents filed with the Environmental Protection Agency, the Cybercab runs on a single front-mounted 219 horsepower permanent magnet motor with front-wheel drive, a compact 48kWh battery pack running at 326 volts, and a curb weight of just 3,113 pounds \u2014 making it roughly 700 pounds lighter than the lightest Model 3 on the market. That\u2019s roughly the same as a gas-powered compact car, despite the fact that it\u2019s still carrying a relatively heavy lithium-ion battery.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nFor years, Musk has been promising the imminent arrival of Tesla\u2019s driverless cars, only time and time again to fall short of those predictions. He claimed<\/a> that 50 percent of the US population would have access to Tesla\u2019s robotaxis by the end of 2025. Today, the vehicles are only available in six cities in Texas and Florida. (Tesla is running a human-driven ridehail service in the San Francisco Bay Area, but has yet to apply for a driverless testing permit from California.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nFor Tesla\u2019s vehicle owners, there\u2019s been a string of broken promises<\/a>. In 2016, Musk promised that every vehicle Tesla produced from then on would have all the technology necessary for self-driving. Years later, he was forced to retract that claim<\/a>, acknowledging that the hardware in some older vehicles was insufficient to support autonomous capabilities. Musk promised to retrofit those customers\u2019 vehicles, but has yet to offer any details as to how that would work. Tesla is currently facing multiple lawsuits<\/a> from customers and regulators claiming it has misled the public about its self-driving capabilities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nToday, the company\u2019s $99-a-month Full Self-Driving feature is still just a Level 2 driver-assist system that requires constant human supervision. During Tesla\u2019s first quarter earnings call this year, Musk promised that \u201cunsupervised\u201d FSD would be available to customer vehicles by the end of 2026 \u201cat the earliest,\u201d admitting that complex intersections, bad road markings, and weather were likely to slow the rollout.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nTesla\u2019s fans will likely point to today\u2019s Cybercab launch as a moment of enormous significance for the company. Investors already seem to agree, with Tesla\u2019s stock price trading up nearly six points over the past five days. Analysts view robotaxis as one of the primary justifications for Tesla\u2019s $1.18 trillion valuation, and the key that will unlock the company\u2019s future. Tesla\u2019s EV sales have slowed down in the face of rising competition, especially from China. And Musk has made massive investments in AI and robotics, with some speculating he could try to merge Tesla <\/a>with the recently public SpaceXAI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nFollow topics and authors<\/strong> from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<\/svg><\/span>Andrew J. Hawkins<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
For the past year, Tesla has been operating a robotaxi service in Texas and Florida using several dozen modified Model Y vehicles, some of which are supervised by human safety drivers and some of which are not. With the introduction of the Cybercab, the company is embarking on a risky new phase that will pit Musk\u2019s stripped-down, less costly approach to autonomy against more established players like Waymo.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The Cybercab, which was first introduced in 2024<\/a>, is a two-seat sedan with gullwing-style doors and eight cameras that it uses to navigate the world without a driver. The vehicle lacks traditional controls, like steering wheel, pedals, and mirrors \u2014 as well as sensors commonly found on other robotaxis, like radar and lidar.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nThe Cybercab is also the lightest, most range-efficient vehicle<\/a> Tesla has ever produced. According to documents filed with the Environmental Protection Agency, the Cybercab runs on a single front-mounted 219 horsepower permanent magnet motor with front-wheel drive, a compact 48kWh battery pack running at 326 volts, and a curb weight of just 3,113 pounds \u2014 making it roughly 700 pounds lighter than the lightest Model 3 on the market. That\u2019s roughly the same as a gas-powered compact car, despite the fact that it\u2019s still carrying a relatively heavy lithium-ion battery.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nFor years, Musk has been promising the imminent arrival of Tesla\u2019s driverless cars, only time and time again to fall short of those predictions. He claimed<\/a> that 50 percent of the US population would have access to Tesla\u2019s robotaxis by the end of 2025. Today, the vehicles are only available in six cities in Texas and Florida. (Tesla is running a human-driven ridehail service in the San Francisco Bay Area, but has yet to apply for a driverless testing permit from California.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nFor Tesla\u2019s vehicle owners, there\u2019s been a string of broken promises<\/a>. In 2016, Musk promised that every vehicle Tesla produced from then on would have all the technology necessary for self-driving. Years later, he was forced to retract that claim<\/a>, acknowledging that the hardware in some older vehicles was insufficient to support autonomous capabilities. Musk promised to retrofit those customers\u2019 vehicles, but has yet to offer any details as to how that would work. Tesla is currently facing multiple lawsuits<\/a> from customers and regulators claiming it has misled the public about its self-driving capabilities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nToday, the company\u2019s $99-a-month Full Self-Driving feature is still just a Level 2 driver-assist system that requires constant human supervision. During Tesla\u2019s first quarter earnings call this year, Musk promised that \u201cunsupervised\u201d FSD would be available to customer vehicles by the end of 2026 \u201cat the earliest,\u201d admitting that complex intersections, bad road markings, and weather were likely to slow the rollout.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nTesla\u2019s fans will likely point to today\u2019s Cybercab launch as a moment of enormous significance for the company. Investors already seem to agree, with Tesla\u2019s stock price trading up nearly six points over the past five days. Analysts view robotaxis as one of the primary justifications for Tesla\u2019s $1.18 trillion valuation, and the key that will unlock the company\u2019s future. Tesla\u2019s EV sales have slowed down in the face of rising competition, especially from China. And Musk has made massive investments in AI and robotics, with some speculating he could try to merge Tesla <\/a>with the recently public SpaceXAI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nFollow topics and authors<\/strong> from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<\/svg><\/span>Andrew J. Hawkins<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
The Cybercab is also the lightest, most range-efficient vehicle<\/a> Tesla has ever produced. According to documents filed with the Environmental Protection Agency, the Cybercab runs on a single front-mounted 219 horsepower permanent magnet motor with front-wheel drive, a compact 48kWh battery pack running at 326 volts, and a curb weight of just 3,113 pounds \u2014 making it roughly 700 pounds lighter than the lightest Model 3 on the market. That\u2019s roughly the same as a gas-powered compact car, despite the fact that it\u2019s still carrying a relatively heavy lithium-ion battery.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nFor years, Musk has been promising the imminent arrival of Tesla\u2019s driverless cars, only time and time again to fall short of those predictions. He claimed<\/a> that 50 percent of the US population would have access to Tesla\u2019s robotaxis by the end of 2025. Today, the vehicles are only available in six cities in Texas and Florida. (Tesla is running a human-driven ridehail service in the San Francisco Bay Area, but has yet to apply for a driverless testing permit from California.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nFor Tesla\u2019s vehicle owners, there\u2019s been a string of broken promises<\/a>. In 2016, Musk promised that every vehicle Tesla produced from then on would have all the technology necessary for self-driving. Years later, he was forced to retract that claim<\/a>, acknowledging that the hardware in some older vehicles was insufficient to support autonomous capabilities. Musk promised to retrofit those customers\u2019 vehicles, but has yet to offer any details as to how that would work. Tesla is currently facing multiple lawsuits<\/a> from customers and regulators claiming it has misled the public about its self-driving capabilities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nToday, the company\u2019s $99-a-month Full Self-Driving feature is still just a Level 2 driver-assist system that requires constant human supervision. During Tesla\u2019s first quarter earnings call this year, Musk promised that \u201cunsupervised\u201d FSD would be available to customer vehicles by the end of 2026 \u201cat the earliest,\u201d admitting that complex intersections, bad road markings, and weather were likely to slow the rollout.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nTesla\u2019s fans will likely point to today\u2019s Cybercab launch as a moment of enormous significance for the company. Investors already seem to agree, with Tesla\u2019s stock price trading up nearly six points over the past five days. Analysts view robotaxis as one of the primary justifications for Tesla\u2019s $1.18 trillion valuation, and the key that will unlock the company\u2019s future. Tesla\u2019s EV sales have slowed down in the face of rising competition, especially from China. And Musk has made massive investments in AI and robotics, with some speculating he could try to merge Tesla <\/a>with the recently public SpaceXAI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nFollow topics and authors<\/strong> from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<\/svg><\/span>Andrew J. Hawkins<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
For years, Musk has been promising the imminent arrival of Tesla\u2019s driverless cars, only time and time again to fall short of those predictions. He claimed<\/a> that 50 percent of the US population would have access to Tesla\u2019s robotaxis by the end of 2025. Today, the vehicles are only available in six cities in Texas and Florida. (Tesla is running a human-driven ridehail service in the San Francisco Bay Area, but has yet to apply for a driverless testing permit from California.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nFor Tesla\u2019s vehicle owners, there\u2019s been a string of broken promises<\/a>. In 2016, Musk promised that every vehicle Tesla produced from then on would have all the technology necessary for self-driving. Years later, he was forced to retract that claim<\/a>, acknowledging that the hardware in some older vehicles was insufficient to support autonomous capabilities. Musk promised to retrofit those customers\u2019 vehicles, but has yet to offer any details as to how that would work. Tesla is currently facing multiple lawsuits<\/a> from customers and regulators claiming it has misled the public about its self-driving capabilities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nToday, the company\u2019s $99-a-month Full Self-Driving feature is still just a Level 2 driver-assist system that requires constant human supervision. During Tesla\u2019s first quarter earnings call this year, Musk promised that \u201cunsupervised\u201d FSD would be available to customer vehicles by the end of 2026 \u201cat the earliest,\u201d admitting that complex intersections, bad road markings, and weather were likely to slow the rollout.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nTesla\u2019s fans will likely point to today\u2019s Cybercab launch as a moment of enormous significance for the company. Investors already seem to agree, with Tesla\u2019s stock price trading up nearly six points over the past five days. Analysts view robotaxis as one of the primary justifications for Tesla\u2019s $1.18 trillion valuation, and the key that will unlock the company\u2019s future. Tesla\u2019s EV sales have slowed down in the face of rising competition, especially from China. And Musk has made massive investments in AI and robotics, with some speculating he could try to merge Tesla <\/a>with the recently public SpaceXAI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nFollow topics and authors<\/strong> from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<\/svg><\/span>Andrew J. Hawkins<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
For Tesla\u2019s vehicle owners, there\u2019s been a string of broken promises<\/a>. In 2016, Musk promised that every vehicle Tesla produced from then on would have all the technology necessary for self-driving. Years later, he was forced to retract that claim<\/a>, acknowledging that the hardware in some older vehicles was insufficient to support autonomous capabilities. Musk promised to retrofit those customers\u2019 vehicles, but has yet to offer any details as to how that would work. Tesla is currently facing multiple lawsuits<\/a> from customers and regulators claiming it has misled the public about its self-driving capabilities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nToday, the company\u2019s $99-a-month Full Self-Driving feature is still just a Level 2 driver-assist system that requires constant human supervision. During Tesla\u2019s first quarter earnings call this year, Musk promised that \u201cunsupervised\u201d FSD would be available to customer vehicles by the end of 2026 \u201cat the earliest,\u201d admitting that complex intersections, bad road markings, and weather were likely to slow the rollout.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nTesla\u2019s fans will likely point to today\u2019s Cybercab launch as a moment of enormous significance for the company. Investors already seem to agree, with Tesla\u2019s stock price trading up nearly six points over the past five days. Analysts view robotaxis as one of the primary justifications for Tesla\u2019s $1.18 trillion valuation, and the key that will unlock the company\u2019s future. Tesla\u2019s EV sales have slowed down in the face of rising competition, especially from China. And Musk has made massive investments in AI and robotics, with some speculating he could try to merge Tesla <\/a>with the recently public SpaceXAI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nFollow topics and authors<\/strong> from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<\/svg><\/span>Andrew J. Hawkins<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
Today, the company\u2019s $99-a-month Full Self-Driving feature is still just a Level 2 driver-assist system that requires constant human supervision. During Tesla\u2019s first quarter earnings call this year, Musk promised that \u201cunsupervised\u201d FSD would be available to customer vehicles by the end of 2026 \u201cat the earliest,\u201d admitting that complex intersections, bad road markings, and weather were likely to slow the rollout.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Tesla\u2019s fans will likely point to today\u2019s Cybercab launch as a moment of enormous significance for the company. Investors already seem to agree, with Tesla\u2019s stock price trading up nearly six points over the past five days. Analysts view robotaxis as one of the primary justifications for Tesla\u2019s $1.18 trillion valuation, and the key that will unlock the company\u2019s future. Tesla\u2019s EV sales have slowed down in the face of rising competition, especially from China. And Musk has made massive investments in AI and robotics, with some speculating he could try to merge Tesla <\/a>with the recently public SpaceXAI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nFollow topics and authors<\/strong> from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<\/svg><\/span>Andrew J. Hawkins<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n