US Media: Tesla's Cybercab to Be Unveiled in Austin This Month, But Autonomous Driving Safety Remains Uncertain

BlockBeats News, August 19, Tesla plans to publicly unveil the self-driving taxi Cybercab in the earliest this month in Austin, Texas, USA. The vehicle features a steering wheel-less and pedal-less design. Currently, Tesla employees have tested the fully autonomous version on the company's private roads.

Reports indicate that the Cybercab runs on Tesla's FSD software, but its autonomous driving capabilities and safety are still in question. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is currently investigating traffic rule compliance issues related to Tesla's FSD, and existing Robotaxi services in some markets still have human safety drivers. The Cybercab, on the other hand, is designed to operate without intervention from occupants. Tesla plans to address emergencies through remote operators and has started equipping the vehicles with Starlink connectivity.

Data scale is also a concern. Tesla stated in July that dedicated driving data for the Cybercab needs to be accumulated. As of now, Tesla's unsupervised Robotaxi has covered approximately 380,000 miles in six cities, while Waymo has completed over 220 million miles of fully autonomous driving on public roads since 2020.

Furthermore, the Cybercab lacks traditional driving controls, which may be subject to restrictions under U.S. federal vehicle safety regulations. Reports suggest that it is unclear whether Tesla is seeking regulatory exemptions. The Verge points out that as the Cybercab nears its release, there remains significant uncertainty regarding the autonomous driving safety and regulatory approvals required for its commercial operation.