Golden Tesla Cybercab Prototype Spotted Charging
A prototype of the future Tesla Cybercab robotaxi, wrapped in golden film, was spotted charging in California. Observers noted that the car has a steering wheel and a central screen, contradicting the company’s earlier statements about a fully autonomous design without traditional controls. However, the presence of a steering wheel on an engineering prototype is standard practice for testing safety systems.
Exterior Appearance and Quality Details
The car had stickers with the inscriptions “Tesla Engineering Prototype V_001” and “Tesla Cybercab Zero Emissions.” According to an eyewitness, the body’s build quality appeared raw: uneven gaps between panels were noticeable. Furthermore, in reality, the prototype seemed narrower and smaller than in Tesla’s promotional materials, which is typical for early development stages. It’s worth noting that the car has no rear window, which aligns with the original concept.
Development and Testing Context
Tesla traditionally tests unfinished cars in public spaces long before the official announcement. Therefore, the differences between this prototype and what the company showed earlier do not necessarily indicate a change in course. They merely confirm that the development process is ongoing. Even the iconic Cybertruck ultimately turned out to be more compact than the 2019 concept.
Sighting this prototype provides one of the clearest looks yet at the robotaxi platform in real-world conditions. Although the project’s deployment may be progressing slowly, it is clearly moving forward. The use of a traditional steering wheel at this stage allows engineers to safely test autonomous systems before fully implementing them. This is a logical step in creating technology that is meant to function without any human intervention.