Tesla’s fully autonomous Cybercab is set to begin production in 2026.
Tesla has applied to the California Public Utilities Commission for a permit to operate a self-driving taxi service, according to The Washington Post. While Tesla can currently test self-driving cars in California with a human driver present, they are not permitted to test fully autonomous vehicles.
Last year, Tesla filed for a charter-party carrier permit, also known as a TCP permit in California. This is only restricted to an autonomous ride-hailing service with a driver to supervise the vehicle without charging customers.
Tesla Cybercab: What to expect?
Tesla showcased the Cybercab prototype, confirming that the production will start in 2026. The Cybercab will be fully autonomous without a steering wheel and be completely driven by a robot. Tesla is still working and testing an unsupervised version of its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software at its Fremont facility in California.
According to Musk, the FSD technology will be available by 2026 to Tesla EV owners in the U.S. and some selected countries. Musk further stated that FSD will give Tesla vehicle owners the option to be part of a driverless fleet. Â
What is Robotaxi service?
The Robotaxi service will be similar to Uber where a customer can type in their destination on an app and book a driverless cab that will pick them up and drop them off without any human invention. It also takes care of the payment transaction process. With the Cybercab only to hit the roads by 2026, the initial feet will consist of Model 3 and Model Y.
Musk believes the Robotaxi service will define the industry as Tesla owners will be able to rent out their vehicles — ‘Kind of like Airbnb’. The Tesla CEO is confident that the Robotaxi service will start in Austin Texas this year followed by California and once it is available across the U.S., the company will make it available in Europe in 2026.
