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Tesla wants Cybercabs in customers' hands by the end of 2026
Lars Moravy's earnings-call timeline arrives while a federal safety probe hangs over the vehicle's legal status.
The timeline from the earnings call
Tesla is trying to get Cybercabs to customers by the end of 2026, Lars Moravy said. [1] He made the statement during Tesla's third-quarter earnings call. [1]
If you want to buy a Cybercab, Tesla has started taking inquiries from entities interested in buying them to help build its robotaxi network. [1] The company will initially sell Cybercabs to companies that can purchase whole fleets. [1]
How we got here
Tesla first unveiled the Cybercab in 2024. [1] It began offering Cybercab rides through its Robotaxi app in Austin, Texas, in September 2026. [1]
The idea of selling the vehicle to third parties surfaced last month at Tesla's Cybercab event in Austin. [2] Tesla posted a form there for people interested in buying robotaxis. [2]
A vehicle meant for transport as a service
Musk said the Cybercab is primarily meant to be offered as transport as a service, unlike Tesla cars people would want to own, such as the 3 and the Y. [2] He added that the vast majority of Cybercabs will be essentially Tesla-owned and transported as a service. [2]
Cybercabs rely on Tesla's Full Self-Driving software and cannot be driven by a human driver. [1] Tesla owners, by contrast, can currently only get the Supervised version of Full Self-Driving, which still requires a human driver behind the wheel. [1]
The NHTSA investigation
NHTSA launched a probe into the Cybercab shortly after Tesla started offering rides in Austin. [1] It opened the investigation just hours after the vehicles began operating on public streets there. [2]
Tesla self-certified that the Cybercabs comply with all relevant Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), and NHTSA plans to examine the process and data Tesla used for that self-certification. [1] Those standards require manual controls such as brake pedals, as well as features such as rearview and side mirrors. [2]
The Department of Transportation recently proposed removing those manual-control requirements for vehicles designed to be autonomously driven. [2] The outcome of NHTSA's investigation could affect whether Tesla, or anyone else, can legally operate the Cybercab. [2]
What it means for you
If you run a company that could buy a whole fleet, Tesla is taking inquiries and will sell to such companies first. [1] If you are an individual owner, the Cybercab is primarily meant to be offered as transport as a service, and the vast majority will be essentially Tesla-owned. [2]
If you ride in Austin, rides are available through the Robotaxi app. [1] The NHTSA investigation is the item to watch, since its outcome could affect whether the Cybercab can be legally operated. [2]
Sources
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