Tesla has launched public rides in its Cybercab in limited areas of Austin, Texas, raising the question: Can you buy one?The short answer is not yet. Tesla's Cybercab FAQ directs people and businesses interested in buying individual vehicles or fleets for commercial use to fill out an inquiry form, rather than offering a way to place an order. The company has not announced when sales will begin.Thursday's Austin launch marks the first time Tesla's purpose-built robotaxi has entered public service, nearly two years after it was unveiled. It also offers the clearest sign that Tesla intends to make the vehicle available beyond its own fleet.AdvertisementAdvertisementNewsweek has contacted Tesla via email for comment on Thursday.A Tesla Cybercab is displayed in downtown Austin, Texas, on September 3, 2026.What Is the Tesla Cybercab?The Tesla Cybercab is a fully electric, two-seat vehicle designed specifically to operate as a driverless taxi. Unlike a conventional car, it has no steering wheel, pedals or permanently installed manual controls, leaving passengers unable to take over while it is moving.The gold-colored vehicle has butterfly doors, a central touchscreen and space in its trunk for luggage. Tesla says the Cybercab uses cameras and other sensors to navigate roads without a driver. Passengers request and manage rides through the company's Robotaxi app.The Cybercab, which was unveiled in 2024, is different from the Model Y that Tesla previously used for its Robotaxi service. Those vehicles were designed as conventional passenger cars and retained steering wheels and pedals, while the Cybercab was built solely for autonomous travel.Can You Buy a Cybercab?Not yet. Tesla is not accepting Cybercab orders, and there is no confirmed date when customers will be able to buy one.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe company is, however, inviting people and businesses to register their interest. Tesla says anyone interested in buying "a fleet or an individual Cybercab vehicle for commercial purposes" can submit an online form and wait to be contacted by a representative. The form is an inquiry rather than an order page, so submitting it does not guarantee that a vehicle will be available to buy. It also suggests that Tesla is initially focused on customers who would operate Cybercabs commercially, rather than people seeking one as a personal car.There is also an unresolved regulatory question. Tesla had not previously sought an exemption from federal safety standards that appeared to require equipment such as manual controls, according to Forbes. The company has since told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that it certified the Cybercab as complying with all standards that apply to it, allowing Tesla to begin deploying the vehicles in Austin without that exemption.However, NHTSA opened an audit on September 3 to examine Tesla's certification, including its determination that some federal standards do not apply to a vehicle without conventional controls. That means the earlier regulatory problem has changed, but it has not been fully settled.Contact Newsweek editors on this story: James Rushton and Dave Siminoff.AdvertisementAdvertisementRelated ArticlesRussian State Media 'Deleted' Host's Threat to NATO Countries Drone Patrols Deployed Over Thailand's 'Sin City' for USS Abraham Lincoln Visit Housing Roundup: What To Watch as Foreclosures Surge Under TrumpStart your unlimited Newsweek trial