Credit: @gheeunit/X
A Tesla designer says Cybercab riders in Austin now get a redesigned Live Activity on iPhone and Apple Watch, and he’s teasing a surprise for anyone who rides at night. Wayne S., who works in Tesla’s design studio, called it his “first ship” for Robotaxi on Friday night. It follows our look at the Robotaxi app 26.10 teardown, which turned up code for owner enrollment and new rider tools.
My first ship for @robotaxi.. try riding Cybercab at night, you’ll be in for a nice surprise 😉 .. something special for your iPhone and Apple Watch
— Wayne S. (@w4ynesun) October 23, 2026
His post quoted a screenshot from a rider showing the new Live Activity, which stays on screen before and during a Cybercab trip. The card shows the Cybercab wordmark, the car’s license plate, how many minutes away it is, and a progress bar with a tiny gold Cybercab sliding toward the pickup point. Wayne said in a reply that he shipped the feature on Thursday, and that watchOS Live Activities “got a lot of love as well.”
What the night surprise actually is, Wayne isn’t saying. When the rider who posted the screenshot said they were in a Cybercab again and weren’t sure what to look for, he replied that the card “should transform when the cab is pulling up to you.” He later added that “the glow as you approach looks different,” and said he’s looking forward to seeing if anyone can find it.
Riders who book during the day will see a change as well, according to a follow-up reply from Wayne. He wrote that there’s a light mode that follows your phone’s system preferences, meant for legibility “in the punishing Austin sun.” He also said the update has “a lot of small design details” and told riders to try to spot the Easter eggs.
If you ride it during the day, you’ll also get another surprise.. a lot of small design details in this one. There’s a light mode based on your system preferences for legibility in the punishing Austin sun. Try to spot the Easter eggs..
— Wayne S. (@w4ynesun) October 23, 2026
On the design itself, Wayne explained that the card uses native iOS colors so it soaks up the surrounding colors of your wallpaper or theme. Zoom in, he said, and the black background shows subtle lines bleeding in from your wallpaper, because he wanted it to feel tactile, “like the color, material, and finish of the cab.”
Other riders posting on X on Friday night pointed to more changes in the Cybercab rider experience, including a more detailed mini map, a larger arrival time, a persistent “Hey Grok” card, live trip sharing and a rear camera view passengers can open during the ride. Tesla hasn’t published release notes listing these changes. Shared trip status was also one of the features spotted in the 26.10 code, alongside rear cabin controls for passengers.
For now, the new experience is tied to Cybercab rides in Austin. Wayne told one person asking for access that it’s “only available in Austin for now,” or wherever Cybercabs show up next, and that downloading the Robotaxi app should be enough to get one. Tesla recently extended Robotaxi hours in Austin to 1 AM and says it will run until 2 AM soon, with 24/7 rides by year end, which gives riders more chances to catch the night version.
At least one rider wants the Apple Watch to do even more. A Tampa rider replied that their phone died after hailing a Robotaxi, leaving the car waiting about seven minutes, and said a charged Apple Watch would have solved it. Wayne asked whether the rider’s watch had cellular and said he’d look into it. Tesla’s main app has been getting attention on Apple devices too, with a new iPad layout arriving earlier this week.
Have you ridden in a Cybercab at night yet, and did you spot what changes when it pulls up?
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