While the Tesla Cybercab was designed from the ground up to eliminate traditional manual controls like steering wheels and pedals, it appears to retain a hidden override feature. Shortly after the vehicle’s official debut in Austin, Texas, riders reported uncovering a virtual joystick that allows for manual operation—a capability seemingly restricted to Tesla staff.
Videos shared on the social media platform X show passengers interacting with a square-shaped interface located in the lower-left corner of the central display. This screen includes a toggle switch that activates manual driving mode, contradicting the initial premise that the autonomous vehicle is completely devoid of human control mechanisms.
So much for the no-wheel promise. Guess safety regulations forced their hand after all.
Just another example of ‘trust but verify.’ If riders can find it, others certainly will too.
I tried finding that joystick but couldn’t! Tesla really hid it well in that corner of the screen.
Interesting that they kept a manual override hidden. Does this mean the autonomy isn’t quite ready for prime time yet?