Clarkson's Driverless Tesla Ride Malfunctions in Austin
Jeremy Clarkson's Tesla Cybercab taxi ride in Austin, Texas, went wrong after the vehicle failed to behave as expected.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Electric Vehicles
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Jeremy Clarkson booked a driverless Tesla taxi through an app while visiting Austin, Texas, and was sent a Cybercab with no steering wheel or pedals. The replacement vehicle refused to pull over at its destination, appeared to go through red lights, and braked for a pedestrian who was not there.
Why it matters
The incident raises questions about how driverless taxis perform on public roads when they are not operating as intended. For a passenger, the experience highlights the practical risks of relying on autonomous vehicles without a driver in control.
The account comes from a single passenger's firsthand experience rather than an independent test or official records. Details on the cause of the glitches and any Tesla response remain unreported.
The players
Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Clarkson is a British television presenter and journalist best known for co-hosting the automotive program Top Gear.
Tesla
Tesla is an American electric vehicle and clean energy company led by Elon Musk that is developing the Cybercab autonomous taxi.
The details
Clarkson booked the taxi through an app, and the first vehicle sent had a steering wheel. Tesla staff then replaced it with a Cybercab, a two-seater without a steering wheel or pedals, which stopped around the corner from where he stood before he cancelled and requested another vehicle.
Timeline
Clarkson's Cybercab ride in Austin, Texas, took place recently, with the exact date not specified.
Roadmap
Tesla's Cybercab is designed as a two-seat robotaxi without a steering wheel or pedals, a deliberate break from conventional car design. This incident shows how far that concept still has to go on public roads before it can run as a dependable taxi service.
Riders who depend on app-hailed driverless taxis could face delays, unexpected vehicle swaps, or route problems like those Clarkson experienced. Passengers should be prepared to cancel and rebook if a vehicle behaves unexpectedly.
The takeaway
A driverless ride can fail in ways a passenger cannot easily correct from the back seat. Riders should watch for unusual vehicle behavior and be ready to cancel and book another option.
Further reading
For more on the technology behind these vehicles, explore Electric Vehicles coverage.
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Would you trust a driverless car to take you somewhere without any steering wheel?
