Editor's note: Our colleagues at Motor1 Italy had the chance to check out the Cybercab in person. They also had a rare opportunity to sit inside a Cybercab. The text that follows highlights their experience with the Tesla Cybercab.
Tesla has taken its Cybercab on a tour of Europe. Elon Musk's new self-driving vehicle has crossed the Atlantic Ocean, so we went to London to get a closer look at what it looks like. Not so much outside, since we had already gotten an idea of what it looked like during last month's unveiling, but inside.
We opened the doors, which lift upward with a butterfly opening and sat inside to get a sense of what it feels like to be in a car that, we'll say it now, has no steering wheel or pedals.
Gallery: Tesla Cybercab Live Tour and Walkaround
Practicality first
The Cybercab was designed from the outset for robotaxi service, and as you get on board, you get a clear sense of the priorities the designers have set for themselves. Not so much the fact that there is, as mentioned, no steering wheel or pedals, but the fact that the car is essential in every way.
The dashboard, as on other Teslas on the road, is flat and horizontal. Everything revolves around the large central screen that will most likely be used to set the destination, look at the route, watch a movie, or listen to music while on the road. But touchscreen aside, the seats intrigue me the most.
Two seats and nothing more
The Cybercab has only two seats. That's because it is expected to carry one or at most two people on most of the rides it will make. The seats are not wraparound. They are wide with flat backs. They look more like home chairs than "automotive" objects. The Cybercab will move exclusively in an urban environment and does not need contoured sides for body restraint during sideways acceleration.
There is only a central armrest between the two seats, and underneath are two cup holders. Stop: there is nothing else. This is intentional to keep costs down, but also for another reason. Tesla's idea is that these Cybercabs can use automatic sanitizing stations between rides. To ensure that all users can sit in a clean and sanitized cabin.
Where to see the Cybercab
If you want to see Tesla's robotaxi up close, here are the dates and locations where it will be on display. We'll say it now though, your viewing will be with the doors closed.
- Nov. 20-Dec. 9: London, Berlin, Paris
- Dec. 12 - Dec. 31: Stockholm, Oslo, Amsterdam
