Aug 17 (Reuters) – Tesla has told employees it is gearing up for a public launch of Cybercab, starting with a rollout in Austin, Texas, as soon as this month, the Information reported on Monday, citing people with knowledge of the plans.
Cybercab, a purpose-built autonomous vehicle without pedals or a steering wheel, is crucial to Tesla’s robotaxi ambitions, as the company is planning to eventually deploy the vehicle for its autonomous ride-hailing service.
Here are a few details from the report:
• Tesla has told staff that it plans to begin the Cybercab rollout by offering rides to its employees on public roads and then incorporate Cybercabs into its robotaxi service in Austin a few days later, according to the report.
• The company has been preparing for a launch with steps including test driving, offering employee rides on private roads and conducting training with local first responders in recent weeks, the report said.
• Tesla did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
• The company started running tests of the production version of its Cybercab on public roads in June, and production of the vehicle is expected to ramp up later this year.
(Reporting by Deborah Sophia in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli)
