Tesla has started engineering tests of its production Cybercab on public roads in Austin, Texas, for the first time (first reported around June 30). The step advances the company's plan for a driverless ride-hailing service centered on a vehicle without steering wheel or pedals.
Removing traditional controls underscores the company's bet on full self-driving capability without human intervention.
https://x.com/Tesla/status/2071810353156194719
The current engineering tests represent the first time the production hardware has been exposed to unrestricted public roads.
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Tesla began public rides in its steering-wheel-free Cybercab in Austin this evening while NHTSA opened an Audit Query into the company’s determination that the vehicle meets existing federal safety standards. The review targets Tesla’s self-certification at a moment when the agency is revising eight rules for driverless cars and other robotaxi developers have secured exemptions.
Tesla revealed the production Cybercab at an Austin event on September 4, 2026, showcasing its unboxed manufacturing process and new hardware components. The two-seater autonomous vehicle uses a pure-vision system with a drag coefficient under 0.20 and omits any immediate plans for individual customer sales.
Waymo will begin offering driverless rides to employees in San Diego, Las Vegas, Tampa and Denver in the coming weeks before opening the service to the public. The expansion strengthens the company's lead in the U.S. robotaxi market while it targets 1 million weekly trips by year-end.
Tesla marked the start of high-volume Semi production at its new Sparks, Nevada factory on September 24. The plant, which Tesla says covers 1.8 million square feet, is built to scale to 50,000 trucks annually.
Tesla reportedly conducted intensive supplier audits across China's Yangtze River Delta last week as it prepares Optimus production. The visits to potential suppliers Tuopu Group, Sanhua Holding Group, and Joyson Electronics in Ningbo, Hangzhou, and Shanghai leverage existing automotive partners rather than confirming a mass-production acceleration.
