EVwire brief: Tesla's Cybercab is launching in Austin, Texas today, September 3, 2026. Ahead of the first public rides, Tesla has published a full Cybercab Rider Guide and some attendees at the launch event are sharing details that fill in the picture. Here is everything we know about the two-seat, fully autonomous robotaxi with no steering wheel and no pedals.
This is a pretty extensive article, so we’ve put together a Table fo Contents so you can navigate the topics better:
Table of Contents
What the Cybercab is
The Cybercab is a purpose-built two-seat autonomous vehicle. There is no steering wheel, no accelerator pedal, no brake pedal, no glovebox, and no frunk because the hood cannot be opened. Elon Musk was clear about the Cybercab: It is designed from the ground up as a passenger-only robotaxi.
The Cybercab exterior measures 55.4 inches tall and 69 inches wide, with 5.7 inches of ground clearance. In the Cybercab interior, riders get 43.4 inches of legroom, 38.3 inches of headroom, 51.8 inches of shoulder room, and 50.1 inches of hip room. The step-in height is 16.5 inches.
The Cybercab has an almost comically large amount of legroom for such a vehicle.
Much of these details comes from Tesla's official Cybercab Rider Guide, supplemented by observations shared by Whole Mars Catalog, and Sawyer Merritt, who are in Austin for the vehicle’s launch event, as well as EVwire’s Jaan.
Cybercab Tutorial Video
As we wrote in our fresh article, Tesla has published an official Cybercab Rider Guide on its website, complete with a two-minute tutorial video walking passengers through the full ride experience. The guide covers every step from opening the Robotaxi app to exiting at your destination.
Cybercab Butterfly Doors
The Cybercab has butterfly-style doors that swing outward and upward. When a rider approaches, the nearest door opens automatically by detecting the ride requester's phone.
If it does not open automatically, pressing a button on the windowsill at the base of the B-pillar opens the door manually:
Once seated and buckled in, the door closes automatically. Riders can also open and close doors from the touchscreen.
The interior door lever is for gentle manual use, but pulling it firmly and completely activates the emergency mechanical release, which ends the trip and forces the vehicle to stop in its lane as soon as safely possible.
When exiting the vehicle (also on a regular end of the ride), the screen will show you the cameras feeds from both sides to ensure it’s safe to step outside. Not so much to open the door, as it isn’t extending horizontally all that much.
A screenshot of the Cybercab’s UI for opening the vehicle’s doors.
Thinking of getting an EV, selling yours, or need EV accessories and adapters?
Check out our fresh EVwire EV Deals page for the discounts we've gathered.
Cybercab’s Seats and motorized seat belts
Both Cybercab seats slide forward and backward together, but each reclines independently.
The head supports are integrated and cannot be adjusted. Riders can control seat position from the touchscreen or from the Robotaxi app.
The Cybercab’s seat adjustments can be done through the infotainment screen.
The seat belts are one of the Cybercab's standout features, as they are motorized:
At the start of a ride, an integrated motor automatically tightens the belt and removes slack. The motor can also tighten proactively when the vehicle anticipates or detects harsh braking, loss of traction, or other sudden road events.
Beyond tightening, the belts can vibrate or pulse to deliver haptic feedback and get the passenger's attention.
do this
don’t do this
Riders must sit upright with their back against the seat, feet flat on the floor, and the belt positioned across the hips rather than the stomach. The seat back must not recline more than 35 degrees from vertical.
The vehicle may pull over or cancel a ride if it detects improper seat belt usage.
Cybercab’s Trunk Size and Load
The rear trunk offers 20.2 cubic feet of storage with a maximum load of 220 pounds. Tesla says it fits:
two checked bags and two carry-ons, or
two carry-ons and two golf club travel bags, or
one large folded stroller, or one small folded wheelchair.
The trunk opens and closes from the touchscreen, the Robotaxi app, or a switch under the exterior handle. And if for some odd reason (???) you get locked inside the trunk:
Tesla featured the Cybercab’s trunk prominently in its highlight of the vehicle’s accessibility features:
Cybercab’s Cameras and Sensors
The Cybercab has exactly eight exterior cameras: one on the front bumper, one at the rear, one in each door pillar, two on the windshield, and one on each front fender.
Inside, the cabin is equipped with a camera and an in-cabin radar mounted above the dome lights.
The radar is used primarily to control airbag deployment. It is sophisticated enough to identify a passenger's size and weight and optimize airbag response accordingly. A green indicator appears when the interior camera is active so passengers know when it is on.
After every ride ends, Tesla uses the cabin camera to check whether the vehicle is clean and ready for the next passenger, including whether any belongings were left behind.
Cybercab Safety and Emergencies
The Cybercab has an emergency stop button located between the dome lights, where the hazard light button usually sits on a conventional car.
It even carries the hazard light icon. Pressing it initiates an immediate pull-over and connects the rider to Tesla Robotaxi Support.
For less urgent situations, riders can touch "Pull Over" on the touchscreen or request it through the app.
A screenshot of the Cybercab’s display informing passengers that it is pulling over.
In the event of a crash, the Cybercab is designed to unlock the doors, turn on hazard lights, turn on cabin lights, disable the high-voltage battery, vent the windows, apply the brakes and come to a stop, and automatically connect the cabin to Tesla Robotaxi Support.
If the vehicle loses power entirely, both doors have a mechanical release. Pulling the lever firmly and pushing the door open will get riders out. Tesla warns that if the windows are fully closed and there is no power, the window may shatter when the mechanical release is triggered.
By the way, it sure looks to us like you are an EV geek like ourselves.
Which means you belong with us: join 14,400+ reading our newsletters: subscribe
Cabin and climate
The climate system is automatically managed and cannot be completely turned off. Airflow may continue even when climate appears off, in part to maintain visibility for the vehicle's cameras. Riders can adjust fan speed to low, medium, or high, and each vent can be turned off independently from the touchscreen. Climate can also be controlled from the Robotaxi app.
Window buttons are located under the touchscreen rather than on the door panel. The cabin includes USB-C charge ports, dome lights that turn on by touching the lens, and configurable accent lights whose brightness and color can be set from the Robotaxi app.
Tech and entertainment
The Cybercab's user interface is built on Unreal Engine, with Tesla specifically crediting Epic Games. The touchscreen is the central hub for the ride experience, showing trip progress, estimated time of arrival, and controls for doors, seats, climate, and media.
Available apps include music, podcasts, games, and other media services accessible through an App Launcher that appears once the trip begins. Some services may require riders to log in with their own accounts. Tesla says personal data is removed from the Cybercab when the trip finishes. The vehicle also includes a built-in Photo Booth application.
How a ride works
Riders request a trip through the Robotaxi app, entering a destination within the service area and reviewing fare and wait-time estimates. When the Cybercab approaches, its rear lightbar glows red and the front lightbar changes to a specific color displayed in the app, making it easy to spot the right vehicle when several are nearby.
Once seated and buckled, the rider touches "Start Ride" on the touchscreen. The ride will not begin until all seat belts are fastened and all doors and the trunk are closed. During the trip, riders can change their destination through the app or request a pull-over at any time.
At the destination, the Cybercab parks and flashes its hazard lights. Riders exit by touching the Open icon on the touchscreen or gently lifting the door lever, then retrieve any trunk items before completing the trip in the app.
Who can ride
Children under 13 are not allowed in the Cybercab "at this time." The vehicle does not have LATCH or ISOFIX anchors for child safety seats. If a booster seat is needed for an older child, it must be installed using the seat belt retained method.
Maintenance note
The Cybercab uses a staggered tire setup: front and rear sizes differ, so tires can only be rotated left to right, not front to back. Tesla recommends rotation every 12,000 miles.
The Cybercab is launching in Austin, Texas on September 3, 2026, augmenting the city’s existing Model Y Robotaxi fleet. Tesla has also opened a fleet purchasing interest form, allowing commercial operators to express interest in buying Cybercabs for fleet use.
This article is being updated as more information about the Cybercab is made available during the vehicle’s launch event later today.
DIG DEEPER into Teslawire for more Tesla coverage, and join 14,400+ EV geeks reading our newsletters: subscribe.
