Tesla has begun testing a production version of its Cybercab — a two-seat, fully autonomous robotaxi with no steering wheel or pedals — on public roads in Austin, Texas. A safety monitor rides in the passenger seat during tests. The move comes nearly two years after the Cybercab's design reveal and follows Tesla's existing Model Y-based robotaxi service in Austin. A pending NHTSA proposal would remove the regulatory requirement for brake pedals in fully automated vehicles, clearing a key hurdle. Tesla argues its vertically integrated approach (building both cars and software, using cameras only) will let it undercut Waymo on cost, though neither company has achieved fully autonomous operation at scale without incidents.
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