Tesla Wants Firefighters to Move Its Cybercab With a Touchscreen During Emergencies, but What if They're Wearing Gloves?

Firefighters in Austin, Texas, have trained to move Tesla's new Cybercab using its touchscreen, but questions remain about its practicality in emergencies. The driverless taxi has no steering wheel or pedals, and Fire Captain Matthew McElearney told NBC News that gloved hands, sweat, or a cracked screen could prevent the display from working. A stalled Cybercab that firefighters can't move could delay a fire engine during a crisis.

Tesla began offering Cybercab rides to invited guests in Austin on 3 September, before opening rides to the wider public on 4 September. The Austin Fire Department later warned that the two-seat vehicle could block roads during emergencies. McElearney has called for federal safety rules that cover driverless cars.

Tesla's emergency guidance says first responders can use onboard vehicle controls to move the Cybercab when necessary. The vehicle needs low-voltage power to move, and the touchscreen becomes unresponsive when that power is unavailable.

How Do Firefighters Move a Car With No Steering Wheel?

Firefighters usually start the process by contacting Tesla. A firefighter in uniform can call Tesla support or use the car's touchscreen, then hold a badge in front of the car's camera. A Tesla employee checks the badge remotely and unlocks the driving controls. Tesla staff can also move a stalled Cybercab remotely.

Tesla has trained Austin firefighters to use this process. McElearney, a fire captain, told NBC News that he does not see the touchscreen as 'the silver bullet' for the concerns crews have raised. He also said he does not know how well the system will work during a real emergency.

Can Crews Push a Stalled Cybercab Aside?

Tesla's guide says crews can quickly push a Cybercab out of the way when the fire risk is low, and the car still has power. Before pushing it, crews must put the car in Neutral or a special towing mode. Using any other mode can overheat the motor and create a shock risk if the wiring has become exposed. The parking brake also applies automatically if the car moves faster than 5mph (8km/h).

If crews cannot push the Cybercab, Tesla says they must load it onto a tow truck with all four tyres off the ground. They may also need to turn the front tyres by hand. Kara Kockelman, an engineering professor at the University of Texas at Austin, told CBS Austin that emergency crews 'still need to be able to get these vehicles out of the way.'

Have Driverless Cars Blocked Ambulances Before?

Driverless cars have already caused problems for emergency crews in Austin. On 1 March, a Waymo self-driving car briefly blocked an ambulance heading to a deadly shooting on West Sixth Street, according to Austin-Travis County's ambulance service. Video shows a police officer getting into the car and driving it away. He could do this because Waymo cars still have a steering wheel. Austin city officials said fire crews reported as many as five Waymo vehicles blocking a response corridor.

In June, an empty Zoox robotaxi drove into a smoke-filled fire scene in Las Vegas, Zoox told regulators. On 8 July, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) warned automated vehicle developers about repeated interference with police, fire crews, and other first responders. The agency asked them to present their solutions by the end of July.

Is the US Government Looking Into the Cybercab?

NHTSA opened an audit of about 1,000 Cybercabs on 4 September, a day after Tesla began offering rides. Officials want to examine the technical data and processes Tesla used to self-certify the Cybercab under existing federal vehicle safety standards. Regulators are reviewing Tesla's paperwork and have not ordered a recall. Texas records showed 45 Cybercabs registered to Tesla's robotaxi fleet by 31 August.

Jonathan Morrison, who leads NHTSA, said the agency supports driverless cars but 'needs to ensure that all of our laws are followed.' Tesla says the Cybercab can detect flashing lights and sirens and pull over when it encounters emergency vehicles. Tesla also runs a free support line for emergency crews 24 hours a day.

Tesla's published Cybercab emergency guidance does not specifically mention using gloves with the touchscreen. If the touchscreen stops responding, the guides give crews three options. They can ask Tesla to move the Cybercab remotely, put the car into Neutral or tow the vehicle away.