Tesla Cybercab arrives in Britain: we take a first look at the self-driving robotaxi that should appear on the road in 2026

Tesla has unveiled its newest and most advanced ‘car’ yet.

But the Tesla Cybercab is not a car you can drive in the normal sense of the word, it is an autonomous taxi that drives people around and takes people into the future.

At the UK unveiling this week, Tesla said the Cybercab will make electric transport “democratised, affordable and fully autonomous”.

The Cybercab will continue to tour Europe at Westfield London until December 8 before entering production in 2026.

Specific details haven’t been ironed out yet, in classic Tesla tradition, but we’re told the US will be the first destination where the Cybercab will be used in public spaces.

Tests of autonomous taxis are already underway, including Waymo’s famous self-driving cars in San Francisco.

The Cybercab is ‘a fully autonomous robotaxi designed to provide premium, individualized point-to-point electric mobility for everyone’.

The two-seater taxi makes Tesla and taxi transportation “more accessible and affordable” because “making transportation accessible to everyone is essential for the future,” Tesla says.

The Cybercab will have a smart calling function and an automatic parking function, and “you can rent it for as long as you need – a short drive or a whole day,” the Elon-Musk brand told the press at the unveiling.

The Cybercab will be on display at Westfield London until December 8 and will tour Europe before entering production in 2026

Inside it is typical Tesla minimalism, with just two seats and a large landscape touchscreen. Because it is fully autonomous, there are no pedals and no steering wheel

When Musk first unveiled the Cybercab at the “We, Robot” event in Los Angeles on October 10 – which also saw the first appearances of the Robovan and the Optimus humanoid robot (which Kim Kardashian recently modeled with too much misfortune) – he said you could buy one for yourself in the US starting in 2026.

The Cybercab is a golden, ultra-slim and – arguably – more stylish version of the Model 3.

It’s square and more angular, with scissor doors and just a single light bar front and rear.

Inside it is typical Tesla minimalism, with just two seats and a large landscape touchscreen.

Because it is completely autonomous, there are no pedals and no steering wheel in sight.

Wireless charging is an important feature.

Tesla previously filed a patent for wireless charging pads in September – although it’s unknown how this will work, and you’ll greet the Cybercab via the Tesla app.

The taxi is bicycle-friendly and can accommodate two carry-on luggage and two checked bags.

The Cybercab is a golden, ultra-slim and – arguably – more stylish version of the Model 3

It’s square and more angular, with scissor doors and just a single light bar front and rear

Cyclist-friendly: the taxi can accommodate two hand luggage and two check-in bags

Many of the Cybercab’s autonomous safety features are already in the Model 3 and Model Y, meaning owners of these EVs will be able to rent out their cars as the self-driving technology will be made available via over-the-air updates.

Whether the 2026 timeline becomes a reality for the US remains to be seen, as Musk said in 2019 that there would be a million robotaxis on the road by 2020.

However, it will certainly be rolled out in America sooner than here because our autonomous driving legislation is so much further behind, so you’ll have to jump across the pond to snag a Cybercab first.

When will autonomous vehicles appear on our roads?

The market for autonomous vehicles is growing rapidly.

Globally, its value is already estimated at $54 billion and is expected to increase tenfold over the next seven years, according to Allied Market Research.

There are six levels of autonomy for driver-assisted technology: a combination of highly complex artificial intelligence (AI) software, LiDar and RADAR sensing technology.

Currently in the UK we have one driverless system that meets autonomy level 2: Ford’s BlueCruise feature, equipped in the electric Mach-E SUV.

Waymo self-driving cars are already operating in San Francisco and Phoenix and will soon land in Los Angeles and Austin

There are six levels of vehicle automation. In Britain, Ford’s BlueCruise is the only designated Level 2 system, meaning drivers can take their hands off the wheel while it’s activated

However, level 4 self-driving cars are already active in the US.

Waymo, a taxi company owned by Alphabet, has app-hailed self-driving cars in San Francisco and Phoenix (and soon Los Angeles and Austin).

In late 2023, transport secretary Mark Harper told BBC Radio 4’s Today program that he expected self-driving cars “as early as 2026”.

The King’s speech in November 2023 also included the government’s new Automated Vehicles Act, which focused on safety and innovation, followed the same month by the announced a £150 million government investment for Connected and Automated Mobility (CAM), supplemented by a further £150 million from industry.

AVs could arrive on these shores in the not-too-distant future.