Austin:Tesla is planning to begin delivering its autonomous Cybercab vehicles to customers by the end of 2026, initially on a limited scale, according to a senior executive from the company.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, Lars Moravy, Tesla's vice president of vehicle engineering, announced during the company's third-quarter earnings call that the Cybercabs currently being produced in Texas are destined for Tesla's own robotaxi fleet. Moravy expressed the company's ambition to start customer deliveries by the end of 2026, with a gradual expansion as Tesla gains more experience in managing autonomous vehicles.

The Cybercab, featuring a gold-colored, two-seat design, is made to operate without a steering wheel or pedals. Tesla CEO Elon Musk indicated that these vehicles are primarily aimed at the ride-hailing market and are expected to remain mostly Tesla-owned, contrasting with the Model 3 and Model Y, which are designed for private ownership.

Furthermore, Tesla's AI chief, Ashok Elluswamy, mentioned that some customer-owned vehicles might be integrated into Tesla's robotaxi fleet by the second quarter of 2027. This integration would require the vehicles to be part of Tesla's designated service areas and fleet management system.

Currently, Tesla's Full Self-Driving system is classified as a driver-assistance product, necessitating an attentive human driver. The rollout of the Cybercab is also subject to regulatory scrutiny, as the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has initiated an investigation into the vehicle's compliance with federal safety standards. This inquiry, which began last month, could influence Tesla's plans for expanding the Cybercab's deployment.