Tesla has officially started building its self-driving taxi, the Cybercab. Elon Musk confirmed the news on April 24, 2026, sharing videos of the two-seat vehicle rolling off the factory floor in Austin, Texas.
The vehicle has no steering wheel or pedals. It is built for fully autonomous driving. The announcement came just a day after Tesla reported stronger-than-expected first-quarter profits.
A 38-second video posted by Musk on X shows the vehicle driving itself out of the Giga Texas facility. The clip also shows the car handling rainy night conditions on the road. Another short video shows several gold-colored Cybercabs driving in formation.
The Cybercab was first shown to the public in late 2024. Musk originally said the car would arrive in 2027. The company is moving faster than that first prediction, with assembly lines now active.
How the Cybercab Works and What It Looks Like
The Cybercab is a small, two-door vehicle. It only has two seats. Tesla designed it specifically for ride-hailing services, not for private owners right away.
The interior is very simple. There is no driver seat. Passengers use a large center screen to start the trip. The doors open upward like wings, which Tesla calls “scissor” or “falcon” doors.
The car uses Tesla’s FSD (Full Self-Driving) software. It relies only on cameras and artificial intelligence. There is no laser radar (LiDAR) like some competitors use. The system has eight cameras that give a full 360-degree view around the car.
The car also has dual computer systems. If one computer fails, the second one takes over immediately. The braking and power systems also have backups to keep passengers safe.
Why This Matters for Taxis and Daily Travel
Tesla wants to run its own taxi network. The company started an early robotaxi service in Austin, Texas in June 2025. That service was only for invited users. With production starting, Tesla plans to expand that service to more cities.
Musk said during the earnings call that the Cybercab will become Tesla’s highest-volume vehicle. But he warned that production will start slowly.
“Whenever you have a new product with a completely new supply chain, new everything, it’s always a stretched out S curve. You should expect that initial production of Cybercab and Semi will be very slow, but then ramping up and going kind of exponential towards the end of the year, and certainly next year.” – Elon Musk, Tesla CEO
The company plans to sell the Cybercab for less than $30,000. However, the first vehicles will not go to private buyers. Tesla will keep them for the company’s own ride-hailing fleet. The operating cost is estimated at around $0.20 per mile. That is much cheaper than regular taxis or Uber.
Safety and Testing Before Public Launch
Tesla has been testing the technology carefully. The supervised robotaxi fleet currently crashes once every 57,000 miles on average. That is still more frequent than human drivers, who crash about once every 229,000 miles.
But the closed-course testing tells a different story. Tesla claims the Cybercab’s safety systems succeed 99.999% of the time when a single part fails. The car has driven over 30 million kilometers (about 18.6 million miles) on public roads without causing any serious injuries.
Elon Musk expects unsupervised FSD to reach customers around the fourth quarter of 2026. The ride-hailing network is also set to reach Phoenix, Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and Las Vegas before the middle of the year.
Texas officials are happy about the production news. Governor Greg Abbott posted on X saying “the future is built in Texas.” Senator Ted Cruz simply replied “Hell yes” to the announcement.
What Makes This Different From Google’s Waymo
Waymo is currently the leader in American robotaxis. It has been operating in several cities since 2021. Tesla is several years behind Waymo in actual passenger service.
The main difference is the hardware. Waymo cars use expensive laser sensors. Tesla only uses cameras. Tesla believes cameras are enough because humans drive using only their eyes.
Some experts worry about Tesla’s approach. Cameras can struggle in heavy rain, fog, or direct sunlight. Tesla says its software is smart enough to handle these “edge cases” over time.
Another big difference is the steering wheel. Waymo vans still have steering wheels and human backup drivers sometimes. The Cybercab has no way for a human to take over at all. This is a much bigger bet on the software being perfect.
Also Read:
Rolling Out Across the United States
Tesla got around a major legal problem with the Cybercab. Normally, cars without steering wheels need a special government permit. That permit only allows 2,500 cars per year.
But Tesla designed the car to meet all federal safety rules from the start. This means they can build and sell as many as they want. Compliance stickers have already been seen on finished Cybercabs at the factory.
The first phase of rollout starts in Austin and San Francisco with employee testing. The second phase opens to regular users in those cities. The third phase aims for nationwide coverage in 2027.
China is also racing in this space. A Chinese company called Cao Cao Mobility showed its own robotaxi called Eva Cab at the Beijing Auto Show on April 24. That car uses a mix of cameras and laser sensors. It also swaps batteries in 60 seconds instead of charging.
Also Read: Laura Loomer Claims Candace Owens’ Lawyer Quit Brigitte Macron Case After She ‘Exposed’ Owens
Stay connected with VvipTimes for the newest updates on tech, cars, and entertainment news from around the world.
