The first production unit of the Cybercab has rolled off the line at Giga Texas, sparking excitement among fans and skepticism among critics. Elon Musk has reiterated his claim that Tesla will sell the Cybercab directly to consumers for under $30,000 before the end of the year, a promise that has been repeatedly missed in the past. The announcement has set social media ablaze with memes of YouTuber Marques Brownlee sporting a freshly shaved head, but experts warn that this may not be as significant as it seems.
The Cybercab is a two-seater vehicle that relies entirely on Tesla's unsupervised self-driving technology, which has been plagued by delays and setbacks. The company's track record on delivering unsupervised FSD to consumers makes Musk's promise look like fantasy, with the software still in development and the regulatory picture bleak. Without a steering wheel or pedals, the Cybercab is essentially a $30,000 vehicle that can't move.
Musk has made numerous promises about autonomous driving over the years, but each one has been met with disappointment. In 2015, he promised complete autonomy in approximately two years, only to miss the deadline. In 2024, he claimed that unsupervised FSD wouldn't arrive until 2025, but it still hasn't happened. The company's internal metric for true autonomy is 10 billion miles of data, which has yet to be achieved.
The lack of progress on unsupervised FSD has been a major concern for critics, with many questioning why Musk promised unsupervised driving in Austin just weeks prior to the current deadline. Tesla's FSD stagnated through most of 2025, and even Musk's own promises were downgraded from 'unsupervised' to 'less nag'. The company has since changed the meaning of 'Full Self-Driving', dropping its promise of unsupervised autonomy.
The regulatory picture is equally bleak, with Tesla's robotaxi pilot operating in a geofenced area with teleoperation support. In California, the company hasn't even applied for an autonomous vehicle permit, and it had to drop its 'Autopilot' marketing language to avoid a 30-day sales suspension. The lack of clear regulations has made it difficult for companies like Tesla to navigate the complex landscape.
Tesla's struggles with autonomy have been well-documented, but the Cybercab is a unique challenge. Without a steering wheel or pedals, the vehicle relies entirely on software that hasn't been proven in real-world conditions. The company's ability to deliver a functional vehicle that can drive itself without human intervention is still a major question mark.
The industry is watching with skepticism as Tesla delivers a vehicle that can't drive itself. While the Cybercab may be an affordable and innovative concept, it's essential to separate hype from reality. Until Tesla demonstrates a Cybercab completing a delivery to a paying customer who drives it home without a steering wheel, its promise of autonomy remains unfulfilled.
The stakes are high for Tesla, which has built its reputation on delivering autonomous driving technology. The company's ability to meet this promise will have significant implications for the industry as a whole. As we wait for the Cybercab to hit production, it's essential to keep a critical eye on Musk's promises and the progress being made.
The future of autonomous driving is uncertain, but one thing is clear: Tesla's struggles with autonomy are a cautionary tale for the industry. As companies like Waymo and Cruise continue to push the boundaries of self-driving technology, they must also acknowledge the challenges that lie ahead. Only when these challenges are addressed can we truly say that autonomous driving has become a reality.
Until then, we'll remain skeptical of Tesla's promises and wait with bated breath for the Cybercab to hit production. Will it deliver on its promise of autonomy? Only time will tell. But one thing is certain: the industry is watching closely as Tesla takes another step towards realizing its vision of autonomous driving.
The industry is watching with skepticism as Tesla delivers a vehicle that can't drive itself.
