Image: Tesla
Tesla’s purpose-built Robotaxi is shedding another piece of traditional car hardware.
A Tesla Cybercab has been spotted testing on public roads in Austin, Texas, without side mirrors for the first time, offering a fresh glimpse at how radically different Tesla’s autonomous ride-hailing vehicle will be once it enters production. The sighting was captured in high-quality footage and shared by photographer Art Guajardo (@artsimage).
The mirror-less Cybercab was seen driving on Austin streets, marking a notable step forward in Tesla’s real-world validation testing. While previous Cybercab prototypes retained conventional side mirrors, this latest version aligns much more closely with Tesla’s long-stated vision for the vehicle — one that relies entirely on cameras and neural networks rather than legacy automotive hardware.
The Cybercab is Tesla’s upcoming two-seat, all-electric autonomous vehicle designed specifically for its Robotaxi network. Unlike current Teslas, which still include manual controls, the Cybercab is expected to ship without a steering wheel, pedals, or even side mirrors when it begins rolling off the production line. Instead, it will depend fully on Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system to navigate streets, pick up passengers, and operate continuously as part of a shared autonomous fleet.
Tesla has been steadily ramping up Cybercab testing in recent months. After the first validation unit was spotted on public roads in California back in October, sightings expanded to Austin late last year. Over the past couple of weeks, testing has accelerated significantly, with Cybercab units now operating on public streets across multiple states, including New York, Illinois, and Massachusetts. At least eleven Cybercabs are believed to be actively testing nationwide, indicating Tesla is entering the final validation phase ahead of production.
According to Tesla, volume production of the Cybercab is still on track to begin in April. While current test vehicles retain traditional driving controls, the removal of side mirrors suggests Tesla is now comfortable validating its camera-only approach in real-world conditions. The next major hardware change could be even more dramatic — the disappearance of the steering wheel altogether.
If that happens, the Cybercab won’t just look different from any car on the road today. It will function differently, too.
