Tesla Cybercab Spotted at Giga Texas Without Steering Wheel

Tesla appears to be nearing the finish line on its most ambitious program. New footage from Gigafactory Texas shows production-ready Cybercab units undergoing validation testing, and they are missing a steering wheel.

The sighting comes from longtime Giga Texas drone pilot and observer Joe Tegtmeyer, who spotted multiple Cybercab vehicles at the factory’s crash testing facility this week. He said they look like final production versions, noting "stickers on tires" and the absence of steering wheels or pedals. "These Cybercabs may be production versions being prepared for crash testing," he observed.

Cybercab: What We Know So Far

The timing aligns with Tesla’s stated roadmap. The company recently celebrated its first production Cybercab rolling off the line at Giga Texas, with volume manufacturing scheduled to begin in earnest this April. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has also reaffirmed plans to sell the Cybercab to consumers for $30,000 or less before the year is up.

The two-seat, all-electric autonomous vehicle is intended to serve as the backbone of Tesla’s Robotaxi network. Built specifically for high-frequency autonomous use, it includes dedicated washers for every single camera on the vehicle — from the B-pillars to the front bumper — to help ensure the Full Self-Driving (FSD) system maintains a clear view.

The Cybercab is also expected to move away from a traditional charging plug. Tesla recently secured FCC approval for the Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology required for wireless induction charging. Although earlier validation units seen in public still had a hidden NACS port under the rear bumper for manual charging, the end goal is a vehicle that can recharge entirely on its own.

To Wheel Or Not to Wheel

A key open question is whether regulators will allow a car without human controls. Musk has described the Cybercab as an "engineering optimization" for autonomy, "meant to be experienced without a steering wheel or pedals."

Cybercab production versions (note stickers on tires, apparently no steering wheel & seat belts across both front seats at the Giga Texas crash testing facility today.

Note the image of the Cybercab team and my circled area on the top left … the wheels seen here appear to be… pic.twitter.com/nEDxv1CvYH

— Joe Tegtmeyer 🚀 🤠🛸😎 (@JoeTegtmeyer) February 20, 2026

Even so, the company has kept its options open, indicating it could ship a version with a wheel if required by law to get the fleet on the road. The latest activity at the Giga Texas crash lab suggests Tesla is currently favoring the wheel-less interior. If these units are being used for final crash validation, it signals confidence that the "no-controls" layout is viable for real-world use. The company has already been offering fully unsupervised rides to the general public with its Robotaxi pilot in Austin for weeks.

Tesla is also proceeding with plans to remove side-view mirrors. Early prototypes seen on the road still had them, but they have been noticeably absent on the latest units.

With mass production only a couple of months away, Tesla is transitioning from prototype to reality. Regulatory approval remains the last major hurdle.