Elon Musk's Tesla is set to launch the Cybercab autonomous taxi in August. The company plans to use the vehicle for its autonomous taxi-hailing service, according to The Information. The first rides will be conducted by Tesla employees in Texas.
The main features of the Cybercab include a design similar to the Cybertruck and a complete absence of traditional controls — there are no pedals or steering wheel in the cabin, only a touchscreen panel. Tesla plans to initially launch the Cybercab on public roads and then integrate it into a separate robotaxi service operating in Austin a few days later. Trial runs and training have already been conducted with local emergency response services.
Maxim Rakitin suggests that there are two possibilities: either Musk has perfected his artificial intelligence system to the point where the vehicle can operate without a driver and intervention, or there are certification restrictions that will require Tesla to install certain controls. Autonomous taxis are already operating in many cities in the U.S., but the issue is primarily legal.
Testing of the serial version of the Cybercab began in June, and production volumes of robotaxis are expected to gradually increase by the end of the year.
