Tesla Cybercab Officially Launches for Public Rides in Austin

At an invite-only event in downtown Austin, Tesla’s VP of AI, Ashok Elluswamy, unveiled the company’s autonomous ride-hailing vision by launching public rides in its futuristic Cybercab Robotaxi, which lacks both a physical steering wheel and brake pedals (via Tesla North).

Cybercab rides open to public tomorrow 5pm CT

— Tesla Robotaxi (@robotaxi) September 4, 2026

The launch marks a critical milestone for Tesla, which previously relied strictly on modified Model Y SUVs to power its driverless Robotaxi app across select urban areas in Texas and Florida. Members of the public can now request a Cybercab directly through the Robotaxi app inside the designated Austin geofence.

To keep up with high demand following the initial rollout, Tesla rapidly moved up its public booking window to 2:00 p.m. Central Time, encouraging locals and tech enthusiasts to hail the gold-trimmed autonomous vehicles.

Stepping inside the Cybercab feels vastly different from a conventional vehicle. The compact two-door features motorized butterfly doors that automatically swing open when a passenger approaches with their smartphone. Because the interior skips traditional driver controls entirely, passengers step into an open, lounge-style cabin equipped with a massive central touchscreen display, custom USB-C charging ports, dual-zone climate controls, and generous legroom.

Occupants start their trip by tapping a prompt on the screen, while safety features include an emergency stop button mounted near the dome lights that directly alerts Tesla Robotaxi Support.

While the launch generated significant excitement among fans and investors, the initial fleet size remains relatively small. State records from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles show that Tesla currently has 45 Cybercabs registered to its Texas operating fleet out of several hundred total autonomous vehicles.

Operating a commercial passenger service without standard physical driver controls has also drawn regulatory attention. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) confirmed it is actively evaluating the Austin launch to ensure the vehicles comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards.