No little kids allowed, and other new Cybercab details

Tesla’s private Cybercab launch event was notably low-key compared with the company’s usual large, livestreamed productions — CEO Elon Musk apparently didn’t even speak, and the keynote reportedly lasted around 15 minutes. Tesla scattered many of the product’s details across PDFs released Thursday and updated terms of service in its “Robotaxi” app, leaving enthusiasts to piece together the rest online. The company still has to prove the vehicles are safe to the public, local governments, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which has already opened an investigation into the Cybercab rollout.

Among the new details: Tesla does not allow minors under 13 to ride in the Cybercab “at this time,” though minors between 8 and 17 are allowed in Tesla’s “Robotaxi” Model Y SUVs; all children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult in both vehicles. The Cybercab also lacks standard LATCH anchors for child seats, requiring seat belts instead — notable given Tesla’s stated focus on removing unnecessary parts to cut costs.

In a crash, the Cybercab’s airbags inflate, its doors unlock, hazard and interior lights turn on, the high-voltage battery disables, windows move to a “vent” position, the vehicle brakes to a stop and parks, and the infotainment system opens a two-way connection to Tesla’s rider support team. The automatic door-unlock detail is notable given Tesla’s history of criticism over electronic door latches — the company agreed last month to recall 3 million cars in China, alongside other automakers, following an investigation into latches that could trap people after a crash. The Cybercab’s manual door release, unlike some past criticism of hard-to-find releases, is located in an “obvious spot” on each door’s armrest. The vehicle also uses a brake-by-wire system, with Musk writing that “having electric brakes avoids the complexity of a hydraulic system,” following Tesla’s earlier adoption of steer-by-wire on the Cybertruck.

Other quirks: the Cybercab’s windows “cannot be fully opened at this time,” with no explanation given, and its USB-C outlets reportedly put out 90W of power — roughly four times the typical in-car output — according to influencer Jeremy Judkins.

Why it matters

The fine print suggests Tesla is still working through basic safety and comfort tradeoffs — child seating, ventilation — even as it races NHTSA scrutiny and rival robotaxi operators to a commercial launch.