First Look: Tesla Cybercab, The Future of Robotaxis

The Tesla Robotaxi, based on the Model Y, is explicitly designed for autonomous operation, completely removing the steering wheel and pedals. This design ensures that the front seats are accessible to passengers, transforming the traditional driver's area into additional passenger space. Furthermore, the vehicle incorporates a rear camera washer to maintain clear visibility for its autonomous driving system, highlighting a focus on both convenience and safety in its self-driving capabilities.

Booking a Cybercab is streamlined through a dedicated app, where users can choose between a Model Y or the specialized Cybercab for their ride. Once a selection is made and the ride is booked, the app provides an estimated wait time, ensuring transparency and convenience for the user. Brandon demonstrated this process, stating, "I can choose between either a Model Y or a Cyber Cab. Now, obviously, we're going to do that. I'll go ahead and click book ride."

To commence an autonomous journey, passengers are prompted to engage their seatbelts, a crucial safety step before the ride begins. The Cybercab's touchscreen provides controls for various functions, including the ability to remotely close the doors, enhancing passenger convenience. Once these preparatory steps are completed, the "start ride" function initiates the vehicle's autonomous operation, smoothly transitioning into self-driving mode. Brandon articulated this by simply stating, "I'll click start ride. There we go."

The Cybercab integrates Tesla's Grok AI, allowing passengers to interact with the vehicle using natural language voice commands. This AI assistant can respond to a variety of queries, such as providing the current time or displaying the vehicle's status on the screen. Brandon demonstrated this feature by asking, "Hey, Grock, what time is it?" showcasing the intuitive and hands-free control options available to passengers.

The Cybercab's cabin is equipped with a comprehensive infotainment system that supports popular media platforms such as Spotify, Netflix, and YouTube, providing ample entertainment options for passengers. Climate control settings are also managed through the touchscreen, offering a familiar experience akin to other Tesla vehicles. Brandon noted the similarity, stating, "I can control the climate, everything right here. Pretty similar to a Tesla." The interface itself is characterized by its smoothness and high refresh rate, ensuring a responsive and enjoyable user experience.

Tesla has incorporated thoughtful accessibility features into the Cybercab, including Braille signage on the door panels. This detail is specifically designed to assist visually impaired passengers, enabling them to easily navigate and utilize the vehicle's functions. Brandon highlighted this feature, pointing out, "There's actually braille on the doors if you look right there. That way uh someone that's blind could easily do this."

During the ride, the Cybercab demonstrated impressive sound insulation, creating a remarkably quiet cabin environment. Testing the vehicle with windows both up and down, it was evident that a significant amount of external noise was isolated, enhancing passenger comfort. Brandon's immediate reaction, "Wow. Yeah. Really quiet," underscored the effectiveness of the vehicle's noise reduction capabilities.

The interior of the Tesla Cybercab is revolutionary, completely eliminating manual driving controls to create a lounge-like atmosphere. The cabin is equipped with convenient features such as USB-C ports that deliver 90 watts of charging power, and a high-quality display running at 120 frames per second. This design encourages passengers to relax and lounge, transforming the journey into a comfortable, passive experience rather than an active driving task. Tesla Flex expressed astonishment, saying, "Mind-blowing. I'm in a Tesla with no steering wheel right now."

The Cybercab features highly adjustable, bench-style seating designed to maximize passenger comfort and utility. These seats can be reclined to a near-flat position, providing an option for passengers to rest or even sleep during their ride. The entire bench assembly is engineered to move, allowing for optimal seating arrangements and personalized comfort. Tesla Flex demonstrated this, exclaiming, "Oh, look. This doesn't even lean back all the way. Oh. ... You can literally just like sleep."

The Cybercab boasts a genuinely impressive 21-inch responsive display, which serves as the primary interface for in-cabin entertainment and controls. This large screen allows passengers to consume various media content seamlessly. Tesla Flex highlighted the screen's impact, stating, "This 21in screen is genuinely insane." Complementing the in-cabin screen, the Tesla Robotaxi app offers mirrored functionality, enabling users to control features such as climate settings and lighting directly from their smartphones. This includes adjusting accent lights and even remotely managing seat positions, offering a comprehensive and intuitive control experience from outside the vehicle as well.

One of the most innovative features of the Tesla Cybercab, and the broader Robotaxi network, is the ability to change destinations in real-time during a ride. Passengers can update their route instantly through the in-cabin system or the mobile app. Upon confirmation, the autonomous vehicle automatically reroutes to the new destination. Tesla Flex emphasized this convenience, noting, "the cool thing about the Cyber Cab or the Robo Taxi network in general is I can actually go ahead and change my ride."

As the Cybercab approaches its destination, the system proactively prompts passengers to gather their belongings, ensuring a smooth and timely exit. Upon arrival, the vehicle manages the door operations autonomously, allowing passengers to exit without needing to manually open or close doors. Tesla Flex demonstrated this, stating, "It says, 'Gather all your belongings and it's going to arrive.' ... I can just tap right here to open this door," underscoring the hands-free and convenient nature of the automated drop-off procedure.