Tesla unveils Cybercab robotaxi at Austin event

Tesla held a private unveiling of its purpose-built Cybercab robotaxi at ACL Live in downtown Austin on Thursday afternoon. The gold-colored, gull-wing-door vehicle was delivered to the venue and displayed for invited guests, while security personnel checked IDs and managed crowd control.

The company, which began production of the Cybercab at its Texas Gigafactory in April, said 45 units have been registered in the state, bringing its total robotaxi fleet in Texas to 420 vehicles. For comparison, Waymo operates 988 robotaxis in the state, while Avride and Zoox have 344 and 44 respectively.

During the event, Tesla AI head Ashok Elluswamy posted on X that the day marked a significant step for transportation. Elon Musk, who has highlighted autonomous vehicles as central to Tesla’s profitability, reiterated his earlier claim that the operating cost of the Cybercab could fall to about 20 cents per mile, potentially translating to a fare of 30-40 cents per mile.

A live-stream of the launch was not provided, and attendees reported long wait times for the vehicle. The Tesla Robotaxi app now allows users to select either a Cybercab or a Model Y robotaxi, though only 45 Cybercabs are currently available in Texas, compared with about 375 Model Ys.

Tesla also announced updates to its terms of service, including age restrictions for riders and a requirement that disputes be resolved through arbitration.

The launch coincided with a pending copyright lawsuit alleging that Tesla used imagery from the film "Blade Runner 2049" in its promotional materials for the Cybercab’s October 2024 unveiling. A Texas court denied Tesla’s motion to dismiss, allowing the case to proceed toward a possible trial in March.

Tesla’s shares rose more than 5% in regular trading on Thursday but slipped nearly 2% in after-hours trading following the event.