The Tesla Cybercab is notable for what it lacks, namely a steering wheel and pedal. By design, there is no way for this vehicle to be manually controlled — or so we thought. Less than a week after the Cybercab was officially launched in Austin, Texas, some riders have discovered the Cybercab’s secret manual controls that appears to be intended only for Tesla employees.
In at least two videos posted on X, Cybercab riders are encountering a virtual joystick that appears intended to control the vehicle’s movements. A square-shaped screen appears in the lower left corner of the central display, with a toggle in the middle for manual driving. It says “forward” at the top and “reverse” on the bottom. There are also buttons to “stop” the vehicle, sound the horn, and manually open the doors. To the right are views of the live camera displays, though in one rider’s video the image appears to be frozen on a Tesla Supercharger from a previous location.
Clearly these controls are intended for Tesla employees and depot workers who may need to nudge the Cybercab into a tight space at low speeds. Since the Cybercab lacks traditional controls, Tesla needed a work-around for fleet workers who may need to rearrange the vehicles in a parking lot, for example. This display would allow them to do that without having to call in a request to Tesla’s Cybercab control center or use a remote operator.
Theoretically these could also be used by law enforcement or emergency responders who may need to move a Cybercab off the road.
