Tesla Inc.’s (NASDAQ:TSLA) Cybercab service in Austin faced fresh questions on Monday after a rider said that a short north Austin trip ballooned into a much longer ride because the service avoided highways.
Cybercab Not Taking Highways
The rider took to the social media platform Reddit on Saturday, saying that they scheduled a pickup at 99 Ranch Market with a destination at The Domain, which would typically be quick using the highway. Instead, the rider said the vehicle looped far out of the way and the trip lasted about 70 minutes, with the post titled "My Cybercab held me hostage for an hour."
The same account said the price landed at $20 and that Tesla’s app provides a cost estimate when scheduling a ride but does not show an expected duration. Commenters on the post said that the ride likely reflected current operating constraints in Austin for the service, including avoiding highways and steering clear of some rail crossings.
Cybercab in Austin
The news comes as Musk had earlier said that the Cybercab production would be five times faster than the traditional automotive production process, touting the company’s “unboxed” approach. Investor Gene Munster of Deepwater Asset Management said that the Cybercab rollout expresses bullish sentiments for the service by Tesla despite the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) probe.
Meanwhile, Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG) Waymo announced it was expanding its service to Las Vegas, taking the total number of cities it operates in to 15 cities. It is also targeting a 2027 launch of its Robotaxi in Tokyo.
Price Action: Tesla shares were down 0.30% at $357.90 during premarket trading on Tuesday.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by a Benzinga editor.
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