«A Future Without Steering Wheels and Pedals»: Tesla showcases mysterious Cybercab in Austin

Tesla, led by Elon Musk, has held a closed presentation of the fully autonomous two-seater Cybercab electric vehicle in Austin, Texas. First unveiled to the public as a concept in 2024, this futuristic model completely discards traditional controls and is expected to play a key role in the company's future Robotaxi passenger transport system.

Futurism without a steering wheel, mirrors, or lidar: How is the Cybercab equipped?

The new EV shatters all molds in the automotive industry with its design and technological structure:

• «Gull-wing» doors and a pedal-free cabin: The car features upward-opening «gull-wing» style doors. Its interior completely lacks a steering wheel, pedals, and even traditional side-view mirrors;

• Abandoning lidar and radars: Unlike competing companies, Tesla has completely abandoned expensive laser sensors (lidar) and radars. Movement and safety control are handled entirely by artificial intelligence and 8 high-definition cameras installed around the body;

• Unusual efficiency and a 673 km range: The electric vehicle is equipped with a single 219-horsepower permanent magnet electric motor and a front-wheel-drive transmission. Although it is fitted with a compact battery with a capacity of just 48 kWh, thanks to high aerodynamics and energy efficiency, it can travel up to 673 kilometers on a single charge.

Tests in Texas and a fierce race with Waymo

Tesla is taking serious steps to capture leadership in the autonomous taxi segment:

• 45 cars registered in Texas: The Cybercab has already been involved in special Robotaxi service tests. 45 vehicles of this type have been officially registered in the state of Texas, though it remains unconfirmed how many of them will be put into commercial passenger transport;

• Fleet based on Model Y: Currently, Tesla is testing a total of 256 autonomous Model Y cars across six major cities based on its driverless control algorithm;

• The gap with Waymo: For comparison, its main competitor in the industry, Waymo, currently operates a fleet of nearly 4,000 autonomous taxis across 14 cities, and Tesla still has a way to go to reach that figure;

• Price and launch date: Elon Musk had previously stated that the market price of this EV would be around $30,000, but Tesla is still keeping the serial release date of the car a secret.

Do you think the Cybercab—operating without a steering wheel or pedals, relying solely on cameras and artificial intelligence—can be safer on city roads than human-driven cars? Can Tesla completely conquer the taxi market with a $30,000 price tag? Leave your thoughts in the comments!