Recently, some spy photos have caught the attention of Tesla enthusiasts. The spy photos from Giga Texas show a prototype of the Tesla Cybercab featuring a steering wheel, which is a contradiction to the automaker’s original vision.
The Cybercab, unveiled in October 2024 during the Tesla event, “We Robot”, is a slick wheel and pedal-free prototype Robotaxi with fully autonomous technology to power it. With butterfly doors, a simple cabin, inductive charging, and a projected price of less than $30,000, it represents a symbol of Elon Musk’s vision of an AI-inspired future of transportation.
Drone operator Joe Tegtmeyer and other Tesla watchers have captured footage of several CyberCabs at the Giga Texas test track in recent weeks. Some vehicles appeared to match the sleek, wheel-free prototypes shown last year, but at least one clearly had a steering wheel inside.
Theories and Reactions
Testing with Safety Drivers
Analysts believe Tesla might be ready to take to the road, and that usually requires a human safety driver. There would be a steering wheel to provide manual intervention in the event of necessity.
Prototype Versatility or Alternative Model
Some speculate Tesla could be repurposing the Cybercab platform for a consumer-accessible version with traditional controls, possibly as a cost-effective electric vehicle (often referred to as “Model 2” or “Model Q”). Automotive teardown expert Sandy Munro has echoed this idea.
Cybercab sightings today at Giga Texas! I have a feeling we will be seeing more of these over the coming few months and then … a lot more! 😎 pic.twitter.com/WyhqCLjQQr
— Joe Tegtmeyer 🚀 🤠🛸😎 (@JoeTegtmeyer) August 29, 2025
Regulatory Compliance and Safety
While Tesla has made significant progress with its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software, regulatory approval for truly driverless vehicles is still pending in most markets. For real-world testing on public roads, U.S. safety authorities typically require a human operator to be able to take over. A steering wheel would make such testing feasible without violating legal restrictions.
Industry Relevance and Implications
This is one of the promises that Tesla has dared to make since the beginning of its taxi concept, the robotaxi. Elon Musk has mentioned many times that the future of Tesla depends on independence and predicts that millions of CyberCabs will serve as a part of a common fleet and will bring income to both owners and the company.
But the fact remains that complete autonomy is an issue that has not been resolved at all, both technologically and legislatively. The addition of a steering wheel can be perceived as a bet-hedging measure on the part of Tesla: making sure that the CyberCab platform can enter production and practical implementation without having to wait indefinitely to obtain the approval of the relevant authorities.
Such a hybrid would enable Tesla to roll out faster, as CyberCabs can operate as semi-autonomous ride-hailing vehicles and entry-level consumer EVs, depending on the market.
