Man repeatedly forces Tesla Cybercab to brake, sparking safety concerns

A viral video posted on X depicts an unnamed, overweight man repeatedly stepping into the path of a Tesla Cybercab, forcing the autonomous vehicle to engage emergency braking and come to a stop in the middle of the street. After each abrupt stop, the man returns to the sidewalk, while a nearby driver-operated car weaves around the halted robotaxi, which displays its hazard lights. The footage, which has attracted more than 1.3 million views, has prompted analysts to warn that pranksters could pose a serious threat to the safety and reliability of driverless taxis.

Social-media commenters suggested that penalties should be imposed and urged the Austin Police Department to intervene. The episode follows the recent launch of gold-colored Cybercabs in Austin, the first fully autonomous rollout without an on-board driver, and has triggered a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration audit of Tesla’s compliance with federal safety standards.