GoKawiilTesla Cybercab spotted with hidden touchscreen joystick for manual driving
A video posted on X shows a Tesla Cybercab's central touchscreen switching into an undisclosed control mode featuring a virtual joystick, letting a person drag a finger to steer the vehicle. The rider said the display appeared in this unusual configuration unprompted, and the screen also showed door controls, a support button, and a camera feed that seemed to include non-live imagery from a previous location. Tesla has not acknowledged or explained this manual-driving interface publicly.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The Cybercab was designed without a steering wheel or pedals to emphasize full autonomy, but this joystick suggests Tesla quietly built in a fallback for moving the car by hand in depots, lots, or blocked situations. It raises questions about how much manual intervention robotaxis actually require behind the scenes, complicating the narrative of complete self-driving independence. The discovery comes just days after the Cybercab's Austin launch, drawing scrutiny to features Tesla hasn't disclosed.
- A rider found a hidden touchscreen joystick mode on Tesla's Cybercab for manual driving.
- The Cybercab lacks a steering wheel and pedals, so this software-based control fills a practical gap.
- Tesla has not commented on or revealed this feature, which surfaced right after the Austin launch.
Tesla Model 3/Y Touchscreen Protector by Ruby Wing — If a Tesla's central touchscreen is going to control everything, including a virtual driving joystick, keeping it scratch-free and glare-free matters. A tempered glass protector fits over the display and helps fend off fingerprints from all that dragging and tapping.
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Published there as: “Tesla's Cybercab has no steering wheel or pedals, but a hidden touchscreen joystick may let humans drive it”
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