A journalist took Tesla’s steering wheel-less Cybercab for a spin in Austin, experiencing butterfly doors, unconventional drop-off points, and a level of comfort that reportedly outshines Waymo’s offerings.

At 6 p.m. on a Friday evening, I summoned a Cybercab via Tesla’s Robotaxi app in Austin. For a journey spanning just under two miles, the fare came to $15. The app estimated a wait time exceeding an hour, but in reality, I waited around 45 minutes. The car arrived across from my house, its front bumper blinking to signal its presence. The initial feeling upon settling in was disconcerting: here was a car devoid of a steering wheel, pedals, or even rearview mirrors. The additional legroom in the driver’s seat area felt odd—after all, I’m accustomed to instinctively glancing at the rearview mirror.

Butterfly doors open at the press of a button, and the central control screen serves as the vehicle’s brain.

Entry and exit are controlled by a button in the mobile app, which opens the butterfly doors—a boon for those who’ve had less-than-pleasant experiences with Model Y doors. However, some passengers have reported online that the doors open too swiftly and could potentially strike people, though I didn’t face this issue during my ride. Inside, there are two seats in a row with a cup holder nestled between them, upholstered in minimalist gray fabric. The sole visual focal point is a massive central touchscreen. It functions as both the command center, displaying real-time 3D views of surrounding vehicles and pedestrians, and the starting point for your journey. Compared to Waymo, the journalist found the Cybercab slightly superior in terms of legroom, ride quality, app usability, and in-car entertainment, with a price tag comparable to a basic Uber ride. In summary: as public transportation, it feels roomy; as a private car, it’s a bit cramped, but the ride is undeniably comfortable.

At 95 degrees under sunny skies, the wipers sprang to life on their own; the drop-off point was smack in the middle of the road.

Image source: The Verge

The test ride also uncovered several quirks. Despite clear skies and a temperature of 95 degrees Fahrenheit, the windshield wipers activated autonomously. Halfway through the trip, while passing through an underpass, the car was supposed to proceed straight but instead veered into a lane that forced a left turn onto a highway. Fortunately, it corrected itself, but not before several cars narrowly avoided a collision. More troubling was the drop-off logic: online videos show passengers halting the car in the middle of busy roads without pulling over, and I encountered a similar scenario when disembarking at the popular Barton Springs in Austin. These weren’t catastrophic incidents like road closures seen with other autonomous systems, but they were frequent, embarrassing, and enough to deter first-time riders. The discomfort from the absence of rearview mirrors—a sense of having one’s field of view obstructed—didn’t fade quickly either.

How will it navigate regulatory approval without a steering wheel? The Sino-US Robotaxi race charges ahead on divergent paths.

The real hurdle lies in regulation. As soon as paid operations commenced, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched an audit inquiry, scrutinizing how Tesla could demonstrate that a car without a steering wheel or pedals complies with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Zoox, which also lacks traditional controls, underwent a similar audit years ago and ultimately received a formal exemption. Musk has pledged to expand operations nationwide, with Cybercabs already appearing outside Orlando and Miami airports. However, in politically accommodating Texas, any crash or high-profile mistake could invite greater scrutiny and slow expansion. Back in China, Baidu’s Apollo Go and Pony.ai’s Robotaxi are already operational in cities like Wuhan, following a strategy of front-end mass production and strict geographic fencing. In this Sino-US autonomous robotaxi competition, one side relies on corporate sprints—pushing forward while addressing compliance gaps—while the other depends on licenses and gradual regional rollouts. The race isn’t about who removes the steering wheel first, but who can reliably and swiftly deliver passengers to their doorsteps.

After that hour-long ride, my assessment is: the Cybercab’s riding experience does mark a step forward, with its butterfly doors, wheel-free design, and large-screen interactions exuding a futuristic vibe. However, minor flaws like halting in the middle of the road at drop-off points and erratic wiper movements underscore that it’s still far from mature. For Tesla, the biggest wildcard isn’t how flashy the technology is, but whether NHTSA will grant that exemption smoothly. For domestic players, the Cybercab’s emergence serves as a reminder: while U.S. competitors forge ahead with consumer-grade product thinking, our strengths lie in operational experience and scenario density, while our weaknesses are in underlying chips and the consistency of high-level autonomous driving perception. The autonomous robotaxi battle hinges on the ability to translate flashy tech into everyday, reliable services.

Today's Golden Quote

"The Cybercab’s riding experience does represent a step forward, but minor flaws like stopping in the middle of the road at drop-off points reveal it’s still far from mature. The autonomous robotaxi battle isn’t about who removes the steering wheel first, but who can transform flashy tech into everyday, reliable services."

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