Tesla robotaxi unveil: Musk says 'Cybercab' has no steering wheels or pedals

Tesla, the electric vehicle manufacturing giant owned by Elon Musk, unveiled its highly anticipated robotaxi, called Cybercab, and self-driving vehicle - Robovan - capable of carrying up to 20 people, at the "We, Robot" event held in California, United States, on Friday.
The event's name, "We, Robot," is an apparent reference to Isaac Asimov's science-fiction short story collection "I, Robot." It also reflects Musk's insistence that Tesla "should be thought of as an AI robotics company" rather than an automaker.

Musk, who arrived at the stage in one of the robotaxis said production of the vehicles will start in 2026 and it will be available for customers to buy for less than $30,000. They will cost 20 cents a mile to operate, he said.
"The vast majority of the time, cars are just doing nothing," he said on stage. "But if they’re autonomous, they could be used five times more, maybe 10 times more."

The robotaxi is a purpose-built autonomous vehicle, lacking steering wheel or pedals, which means it will need approval from regulators before going into production. "Cybercab has no steering wheels or pedals," Musk said while speaking at the event.
Robovan: Bus without driver
Surprising the attendees at the "We, Robot" event, Musk also unveiled a new driver-less passenger van called Robovan. Musk said that the vehicle could carry up to 20 people, or be used to transport goods.
"The robovan is what’s gonna solve for high density," Musk said. "So if you want to take a sports team somewhere, or you’re looking to really get the cost of travel down to, I don’t know, 5-10, cents a mile, then you can use the robovan."

The Robovan's wheels are tucked inboard, creating an illusion that the vehicle is floating slightly above the ground. Similar to the Cybercab, the Robovan too lacks a steering wheel.

Musk said in April 2019, that he expected Tesla robotaxis to be fully operating by 2020. However, following unfulfilled promises, Elon Musk has shifted his attention to vehicle development as the company abandoned its intentions to manufacture a more compact and affordable automobile, which many industry experts considered crucial for addressing the slowing demand for electric vehicles.
Since 2016, Elon Musk has made bold statements about Tesla's self-driving capabilities, saying that passengers would eventually be able to relax or even sleep during their trips without requiring any driver. He also committed to equipping all new Tesla vehicles, including the Model 3, with the necessary hardware to achieve full autonomy.
However, despite these ambitious promises, Tesla has not yet delivered an entirely self-driving vehicle. While the company has introduced various driver-assist features, such as Autopilot, Navigate on Autopilot, Full Self-Driving (FSD), and FSD Supervised, none of these technologies have reached the level of complete autonomy that Musk initially envisioned.