Rider Matthew Skrzypczak shared a video on X showing a virtual joystick on the touchscreen of a Tesla Cybercab. The interface also included a horn button and a door-closing control, paired with a live surround-camera feed. Other passengers reported encountering the same software layout, which appeared to be an internal service or engineering mode.
The Cybercab is designed without a physical steering wheel or pedals, a feature Elon Musk has cited as evidence that the vehicle requires no human intervention. However, Tesla chair Robyn Denholm previously noted that the company maintains a fallback plan to include manual controls if necessary. Tesla has not provided a public explanation regarding the purpose of the hidden menu.
The discovery follows the launch of commercial Cybercab rides in Austin, which began on September 4. The fleet size is estimated at approximately 1,000 vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is currently investigating how vehicles lacking traditional steering controls receive certification for public roads.
While the Cybercab utilizes the same autonomous software stack as the Model Y, the existence of a manual override interface raises questions about the vehicle's engineering requirements. Tesla has not clarified what safeguards are in place to prevent unauthorized access to these controls or whether a software fix is planned to restrict passenger access.
