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International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
Vinay Patel

Tesla Cybercab Stuns At Petersen Museum, Catch A High-Tech Glimpse At Tomorrow's Robotaxis

Tesla's Cybercab prototype was caught on camera moving around Giga Texas, hinting at active testing. (Credit: Photo / Petersen Museum petersen.org)

The Tesla Cybercab is taking centre stage at the renowned Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles this holiday season. This high-profile appearance aligns with Tesla's recent push to introduce its self-driving robotaxi to a broader audience.

Showcased at Tesla's "We, Robot" event, the vehicle embodies the company's vision of autonomous transportation, offering visitors a firsthand look at its pedal-free, steering-free technology. As reported by Teslarati, the Tesla Cybercab is making a holiday appearance at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.

Tesla Cybercab Takes Center Stage At Petersen Museum

The Petersen Museum's website indicates that the Cybercab is a key part of Tesla's mission to democratise autonomous vehicle technology. Similar to the Cybercab models recently displayed in Tesla stores, the one showcased at the Petersen Museum is a robotaxi that made its appearance at the October "We, Robot" event.

The Petersen Museum describes the Cybercab as a fully functional, pre-production robotaxi unveiled at Tesla's October 2024 "We, Robot" event. This two-seater vehicle, capable of autonomous operation, features dihedral doors and a hatchback for cargo.

It leverages Tesla's existing computer and sensing suite, eliminating the need for pedals or a steering wheel. This innovative design aligns with Tesla's vision of democratising transportation through autonomous vehicles and robots.

From November 27, 2024, until January 2, 2025, the Petersen Museum will host an exhibition of the Tesla Cybercab, as revealed in screenshots posted online by electric vehicle enthusiasts. The autonomous robotaxi is currently on display in the museum's main foyer. To catch a glimpse of the Cybercab in person, you must secure tickets by following this link.

While the Cybercab is currently captivating audiences at the Petersen Museum, Tesla's ambitious autonomous vehicle project continues to progress behind the scenes. Over the past few weeks, Cybercab prototype units have made appearances in various Tesla stores across the United States and internationally.

Cybercab Spotted Testing In Texas

On November 27, a Tesla Cybercab robotaxi prototype was caught on camera at the company's Gigafactory in Austin, Texas. Unlike previous sightings, this prototype was not stationary, hinting at active testing within the facility.

The Cybercab prototype was observed traversing the north and east sides of Giga, Texas, closely followed by a black Tesla Model 3. Local Giga Texas observer Joe Tegtmeyer captured these visuals during his regular drone surveillance of the factory.

The Elon Musk-led automotive company has a reputation for utilising its factories for extensive vehicle testing. Recent examples include the Cybertruck and Model 3 Highland at the Fremont factory test track. This practice is typically associated with prototype vehicles undergoing rigorous evaluation.

Tesla (TSLA) unveiled the Cybercab robotaxi at a highly anticipated event held at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California, on October 10, 2024. Unlike typical unveilings, where a single prototype is showcased, Tesla presented a fleet of 19 Cybercab robotaxis at the event.

Tesla has deployed multiple Cybercab robotaxi prototypes to its showrooms across the United States. These prototypes are used for various purposes, including testing, validation, and AI training. It's plausible that Tesla has manufactured an even larger number of prototypes for these objectives.

Tesla Cybercab Paves The Way For Autonomous Future

Given the heavily tinted side windows and darkened windshield, it's challenging to discern whether a driver is present. However, this detail is inconsequential as the Tesla Cybercab operates autonomously without a steering wheel or traditional pedals.

However, Joe claims he observed a person operating the Cybercab during its testing phase, utilising a modified game controller. Upon closer examination of the video, it becomes apparent that two forklifts unexpectedly crossed the path of the Cybercab near the clip's conclusion.

The vehicle responded effectively, braking at the appropriate moment and slowing down to allow the forklifts to pass.

Tesla Cybercab robotaxis is operating on the latest Full Self-Driving version 13 (FSD v13), which is not yet accessible to non-employee Tesla owners. According to a recent Tesla CEO Elon Musk announcement, FSD v13 is anticipated to be released to early-access users shortly.

Tesla is meticulously subjecting the Cybercab robotaxi to diverse scenarios to amass valuable data that will refine the capabilities of FSD's autonomous driving features. The data collected from FSD v13 is being fed into the powerful Cortex supercluster, a behemoth comprising 100,000 Nvidia H100/H200 GPUs located in Giga, Texas.

. This immense computational prowess is poised to propel FSD to unprecedented heights as we eagerly anticipate the advancements promised by FSD v13.

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