Tesla just gave us a much clearer look at how its upcoming purpose-built robotaxi handles itself on public roads without a human behind the wheel. Over the weekend, the release of the official Cybercab First Responder Interaction Plan peeled back the layers on how the vehicle performs driverless operations. Interestingly, the documentation refers to the car as the "Cybercab Robotaxi," hammering home exactly what this machine was built to do.
The emergency guide explicitly and repeatedly classifies the Cybercab as completely driverless, showing that Tesla is sticking to its guns about deploying it without a steering wheel or pedals. Even so, Tesla previously said it would start rolling out Cybercabs with steering wheels and pedals if regulators required them. This lines up with a broader shift in the regulatory landscape, especially since NHTSA recently stopped requiring traditional brake pedals on autonomous vehicles.
Cybercab’s Level 4 Autonomy
According to the new emergency handbook, the vehicle is equipped with an SAE Level 4 'Autonomous Mode.' This comes after Tesla self-certified FSD-driven vehicles as Level 4 autonomy-compliant under a new Texas law. "When in Autonomous Mode, the vehicle is designed to be capable of performing the entire dynamic driving task without any input from a human driver," the manual states.
The Cybercab will practically always be active when out in the wild. It will operate in this self-driving state during passenger trips, when deadheading to a pickup, or while traveling to a charging or cleaning facility. When in Autonomous Mode, text that reads "Self-Driving" is displayed in blue in the top left corner of the center screen.
Autonomous Mode can use the Cybercab’s cameras and microphone array to detect emergency vehicles and sirens. If an emergency vehicle pulls up behind it, the car will automatically pull over and yield. It can even recognize hand gestures from first responders and follow pathways designated by cones.
What is particularly wild is how it talks back to the outside world. Tesla has added external microphones to the B-pillars, a first for any of its vehicles, along with speakers on the underside of the chassis. These tools allow first responders to talk directly with Tesla’s remote Robotaxi Support staff without even opening a door. Like traditional Teslas, the inside of the cabin also has its own set of speakers and microphones.
Disabling Autonomous Mode
Shutting down the autonomous driving system requires specific triggers. The guide reveals that Autonomous Mode remains active even when the vehicle is parked or idling, and it can only be turned off in a few specific ways, including:
Being disabled by a Tesla representative.
Automatically, when the car senses it is plugged into a charger.
Automatically, after a first responder pulls it over.
Automatically, when the vehicle detects a crash or the airbags are deployed.
When the car is operating normally, the hazard lights flash at a standard speed during passenger pickups and drop-offs. However, if Autonomous Mode gets deactivated, the hazard lights will flash rapidly at roughly twice the speed to signify the car is offline. If a collision occurs, Autonomous Mode is deactivated, and the system automatically unlocks the doors, rolls down the windows if the airbags went off, and connects a two-way call with support staff.
An orange microphone icon and a green camera icon light up on the screen to show that an emergency communication line is active, and the screen also indicates that a Robotaxi Support agent is connected. If the vehicle loses low-voltage power in the event of a collision, the new interior door latch on the door frame doubles as an emergency mechanical release if you pull it all the way up to the second detent.
Tesla’s first responder guide gives us a great look at some of the Cybercab’s operational details after recent EPA filings revealed the vehicle’s physical specs. With mass production quickly scaling up at Giga Texas and road testing already well underway, public Cybercab rides are looking closer than ever.
