Tesla Deploys Cybercab Testers in NYC With Human Controls as State Law Requires Hands on Wheel
Updated
Updated · Curbed · Sep 14
Tesla Deploys Cybercab Testers in NYC With Human Controls as State Law Requires Hands on Wheel
3 articles · Updated · Curbed · Sep 14
Summary
Tesla has been quietly running Cybercab testers on New York City streets with steering wheels, gas and brake pedals, and a human driver rather than the fully driverless setup used in Florida and Texas.
New York state law requires a person to keep at least one hand on the wheel, letting Tesla classify the vehicles as advanced driver-assistance cars instead of autonomous robotaxis that would face tougher permitting.
City officials said the spotted Cybercabs can hand control to a human driver, while legal experts said Tesla is using that narrower description with regulators even as it markets the service elsewhere as driverless.
Safety concerns remain: the Cybercab design is under federal investigation over missing steering wheels and pedals, and critics warn fully driverless versions could hinder first responders on congested city streets.
For now, the stealth pilot appears aimed at collecting New York driving data and easing lawmakers and the public toward a future launch of fully driverless Cybercabs.