Tesla is preparing to launch its autonomous Cybercab in Austin, Texas, as early as this month, with employees expected to be among the first passengers.
The company plans to initially offer Cybercab rides to employees on public roads before adding the vehicles to its robotaxi service in Austin a few days later, according to The Information.
Tesla has been preparing for the rollout through public-road testing, employee rides on private roads and training with local first responders. The production version of the Cybercab began public-road testing in June, with production expected to ramp up later this year.
The purpose-built vehicle, which has no steering wheel or pedals, is central to Tesla’s plans to develop an autonomous ride-hailing service.
Recently, the company introduced a weekly cap on employee spending for artificial intelligence (AI) tools, marking a shift from encouraging widespread AI adoption to tightening cost controls. Beginning 6 July, employees will be limited to spending $200 per week on AI tools.
Any spending beyond the limit will require management approval, according to an internal memo. The move comes after some software engineers reportedly generated AI usage costs worth thousands of dollars every week through heavy token consumption.
The new policy, however, does not apply to beta versions of AI products developed by xAI, Elon Musk’s AI company. These tools will remain exempt from the spending cap, giving them a cost advantage over competing AI platforms used within Tesla.
The decision represents a notable change in the company’s AI strategy.
