Weird Software Glitch Reveals the Digital Joystick Used To Manually Drive the Tesla Cybercab
Riders found a hidden touchscreen control that Tesla appears to reserve for employees when the driverless vehicle needs to be moved at low speeds.
- Riders Matthew Skrzypczak and David Moss discovered a hidden virtual joystick on the Tesla Cybercab touchscreen on Monday, enabling manual operation of the vehicle Tesla touts as "fully autonomous."
- Tesla launched the Cybercab without steering wheels or pedals to emphasize full autonomy, yet the official manual notes the vehicle "can be manually moved with onboard vehicle controls" for emergency situations.
- The interface features an on-screen joystick allowing manual movement at speeds up to 7 MPH, designed as a workaround for employees to reposition vehicles in depots or tight spots without physical controls.
- Following the Cybercab's launch on September 3, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an audit covering roughly 1,000 vehicles, questioning whether federal safety standards apply to a vehicle lacking physical controls.
- While Tesla claims its software is superior to competitors, the company faces ongoing regulatory investigations into safety failures, complicating efforts to convince Americans to adopt driverless technology amid public skepticism.
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Tesla Bets Cybercabs Can Overcome Driverless Ride Fears
NEW YORK (AP) — Elon Musk sent dozens of self-driving Cybercabs without steering wheels or brake pedals onto the streets of Austin, Texas, on Thursday, betting that Americans will overcome their fears of rides with “no control” and hop inside.The rollout of the gold-colored Teslas, which give passengers no way to take control in an emergency, comes as the company prepares to launch the service in other cities. Tesla shares have suffered amid a s…
Weird Software Glitch Reveals the Digital Joystick Used To Manually Drive the Tesla Cybercab
Tesla formally enrolled the Cybercab into its Robotaxi service, making it one of the few vehicles on the market that lack a steering wheel and pedals. However, the Cybercab can be maneuvered manually using a virtual joystick on the center screen, as people discovered due to a rare software glitch. In December 2024, people noticed that the Tesla Cybercab can still be steered manually, even though it lacked a steering wheel. The revelation ... (co…
Tesla Cybercab doesn’t have any manual controls — but it does have a virtual joystick
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 […]
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