Tesla’s Cybercab has been presented as a fully self-driving taxi with no physical steering wheel or pedals, but a newly discovered display menu appears to reveal hidden manual driving controls inside the vehicle.
Hidden Virtual Controls Discovered
Matthew Skrzypczak posted on X and Instagram about discovering a hidden menu on the Cybercab’s display screen that showed a virtual joystick for manual driving inputs. The video also showed a horn button and an option to call for support.
After Skrzypczak’s post went viral, more people reportedly began sharing similar discoveries. The virtual joystick page is flanked by surround-view cameras, presumably providing better visibility if the Cybercab needs to be piloted manually.
Tesla has never mentioned the virtual-control page in connection with the Cybercab, suggesting it was not intended to be seen by a paying passenger.
Tesla Safety Guidelines Do Not Mention Joystick
Tesla has published safety guidelines for first responders and passengers covering passenger conduct, emergency stops, and how emergency crews should approach and secure a stranded vehicle.
However, those guidelines do not mention the virtual joystick or explain how it can be enabled if needed.
NHTSA Probe Adds Further Scrutiny
The Cybercab program has largely been accepted by regulators, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has placed the program under a new probe examining how Tesla was able to certify a vehicle without a steering wheel and pedals under current U.S. road safety regulations.
The current fleet includes more than 1,000 Cybercabs, and the program launched in Austin, Texas, just a few days ago.
Questions Remain Over the Cybercab
The accidental discovery of the virtual joystick raises questions about why the feature exists and why it was not publicly disclosed or included in Tesla’s safety guidelines.
If the system is a regulatory safeguard for a “just in case” scenario, questions remain about why passengers have not been told about it and how it is intended to be used. The discovery also raises questions about whether the Cybercab is as capable as Tesla claims.
Tesla now faces questions surrounding the purpose of the hidden controls, their role in the Cybercab’s operation, and why they were not addressed in the company’s published safety guidance.
