Tesla Cybercab Test Prototype Spotted With Temporary Steering Wheel Assembly in Berkeley
A Tesla Cybercab test prototype was spotted in Berkeley, California, equipped with a Cybertruck steering wheel mounted on a temporary steering column assembly. The photographs provide the clearest view yet of how Tesla outfits its autonomous robotaxi with manual controls for testing purposes.
Photographed on 11 September 2026, a pre-production Cybercab test unit sat parked on a Berkeley street, equipped with a squared Cybertruck steering wheel affixed to an exposed steering column. The assembly connects to a fabricated mounting bracket resembling temporary engineering test rigs. The vehicle carried a Texas manufacturer plate and a tan-coloured protective wrap.
The images revealed details of the temporary column mount, with interior panels removed to expose the hardware setup. An eyewitness described the vehicle as compact and city-oriented, noting proportions aligned with Tesla's earlier discussion of its lower-cost platform. The Cybercab derives from Tesla's next-generation vehicle architecture.
Public road testing regulations for autonomous prototypes mandate a human operator capable of emergency intervention. While production Cybercab units are designed without steering wheels or pedals—relying instead on a virtual joystick interface for depot movement—test vehicles require temporary manual controls. This engineering approach is standard practice during autonomous technology validation phases before deployment at operational scale.
Editorial takeaway
A Tesla Cybercab test prototype was spotted in Berkeley, California, equipped with a Cybertruck steering wheel mounted on a temporary steering column assembly. The photographs provide the clearest view yet of how Tesla outfits its autonomous robotaxi with manual controls for testing purposes.
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