Production-ready Tesla Cybercab units have been observed at Gigafactory Texas undergoing validation testing without steering wheels or pedals. The sighting suggests Tesla is preparing final versions for crash testing as mass production approaches. This development aligns with the company's plans for an autonomous Robotaxi vehicle.
New footage from Gigafactory Texas shows several Cybercab units at the factory's crash testing facility. Longtime observer Joe Tegtmeyer, a drone pilot, spotted these vehicles this week, noting they appear to be final production versions. They feature stickers on tires and lack steering wheels or pedals. Tegtmeyer observed, "These Cybercabs may be production versions being prepared for crash testing."
The timing coincides with Tesla's roadmap, following the first production Cybercab rolling off the line at Giga Texas. Volume manufacturing is scheduled to begin in April. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has stated the company plans to sell the Cybercab to consumers for $30,000 or less before the end of the year.
The Cybercab is a two-seat, all-electric autonomous vehicle designed for Tesla's Robotaxi network, built for high-frequency autonomous use. It includes dedicated washers for cameras on the B-pillars and front bumper to maintain clear views for the Full Self-Driving system. Tesla secured FCC approval for Ultra-Wideband technology for wireless induction charging, though earlier units had a hidden NACS port under the rear bumper.
Musk has described the Cybercab as an "engineering optimization" for autonomy, intended without a steering wheel or pedals. While Tesla has hinted at possibly including a wheel if required by regulators, this sighting indicates confidence in the wheel-less design. The company has been offering unsupervised rides via its Robotaxi pilot in Austin for weeks. Latest units also lack side-view mirrors, absent from early prototypes that had them.
With mass production months away, regulatory approval for the no-controls interior remains a key challenge.
