When Elon Musk sets his mind on something, like the Tesla Cybertruck, it’s nearly impossible to make him change it. However, it seems the CEO may take a surprising but reasonable step back with the Tesla Cybercab. The vehicle could finally include a steering wheel and pedals.
Tesla Cybercab may launch with steering wheel and pedals after all
Last week, Musk said the Cybercab would launch within eight months, exactly like the original concept, without steering or pedals. Everyone thought the same thing: “That’s impossible.” Even if Tesla works around the clock, the car could reach production by mid-2026, but who would buy it with Level 5 autonomy only, no steering, and no pedals? And more importantly, would road regulations even allow it? These same rules currently keep Full Self-Driving limited to Level 2, requiring user supervision and restricting Level 5 vehicle production in the U.S.
As futuristic as it sounds, the Tesla Cybercab was at serious risk of becoming useless, a flop even worse than the Cybertruck. We say “was” because Tesla may have realized the issue and changed course. During an interview, Tesla Chair Robyn Denholm reportedly said the company would be ready to launch a Cybercab with steering and pedals if it proved “necessary.”
That need seems unavoidable. Tesla’s technology, while advanced, isn’t ready for full autonomy, and current laws wouldn’t allow the Cybercab to operate without human control. Even if Musk managed to get approval in the U.S., where only 2,500 autonomous vehicles per year are allowed, what about the rest of the world? It could have become another Cybertruck, limited almost entirely to North America for homologation reasons.
To succeed globally, the Tesla Cybercab must launch as a regular car, with manual controls and the option to activate autonomy later when regulations allow it. No one would buy a $30,000 car, assuming that price holds, without the ability to drive it.
