The Tesla Cybercab is equipped with out-of-this-world technology. Tesla has revealed that the two-seat autonomous taxi has a Starlink satellite system integrated into its design. The rectangular dish is built into the windowless hatchback of the vehicle, which doesn’t have a steering wheel or pedals.
Tesla didn’t fully outline all that it it is used for, but its head of AI software, Ashok Elluswamy, said it “is primarily meant for navigation, customer service and, in general, fleet management.” The car is also fitted with a separate GPS system and 5G LTE antenna in the roof, plus eight cameras mounted around the vehicle to provide the Full Self-Driving system with a 360-degree view. Another camera is installed in the cabin to keep an eye on the passengers.
Cybercab pre-production is underway at Tesla’s factory in Austin, Texas, and several are being tested in its autonomous Robotaxi ride hailing service in the city. Public Robotaxi trials are also underway in parts of Dallas, Houston and Miami, but Tesla primarily uses Model Y SUVs for the service.
The Starlink news was released two days before Tesla’s second-quarter earnings call on Wednesday, July 22, when more information about the status of the Robotaxi service and Cybercab production will likely be revealed.
Starlink is run by Elon Musk’s SpaceXAI company, which had its IPO in June. SpaceXAI’s Grok artificial intelligence assistant is also now integrated into Tesla vehicles and many market analysts expect the two companies to merge in the future.
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Another more direct collaboration between Tesla and Starlink may soon debut. Musk insists that the debut of the production version of Tesla’s much-delayed second-generation Tesla Roadster will take place sometime this year, nearly a decade after the concept was revealed in 2017.
The vehicle is slated to be offered with a SpaceX package that adds cold gas thrusters, which will be used to enhance its acceleration and allow it to hover over the ground for short distances.
Musk has promised that there will be a “mind-blowing” demonstration when the reveal finally happens, but there’s no clear indication yet of when that will be.
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This story has been updated with additional information
