Tesla was spotted testing its Cybercab robot on the streets of the Gigafactory Texas, which is interesting as Tesla has limited where it can test a car without a steering wheel.
When Tesla unveiled the Cybercab last month, it did so at the Warner Bros studio, and it did so for good reason.
Tesla wanted to show what self-driving robot cars would look like operating in the city. The studio area may look like a small town, but all the roads are private, and that's why Tesla did it there.
The automaker still has to seek permits for self-driving tests, and instead, Tesla is relying on its “Full Self-Driving System” which is considered a level 2 driver assistance system where the driver is always responsible.
Under these conditions, Tesla is able to test its system on existing vehicles, but the Cybercab is different as it does not have a steering wheel or pedals.
Now, Tesla has been spotted testing the Cybercab near the Gigafactory Texas in Austin:
Some of the roads on the Gigafactory campus in Texas are private, but the autonomous driving laws in Texas are almost more relaxed than in California, where Tesla unveiled the car.
It doesn't require permits for autonomous vehicles – making it a great place to test Tesla's Cybercab.
Tesla has avoided testing its self-driving technology in California for years to avoid CA DMV data reporting rules.
The last time Tesla took the lead, CEO Elon Musk and head of self-driving Ashok Elluswamy said Tesla aimed for its FSD-directed program to reach more than 600,000 miles between launch by Q2 2025.
Meanwhile, Tesla plans to launch its unsupervised self-driving system before the Cybercab hits the market in 2026.
Of course, it is worth noting that this is Tesla's desire and that the current data available indicates that Tesla is within 190 miles between critical discharges.
FTC: We use auto affiliate links to earn income. More.