Tesla Cybercab adds Starlink: self-driving still runs onboard

Tesla has finally shown the Cybercab with built-in Starlink V5 hardware, which means the robotaxi now appears set up for a direct satellite link. That detail showed up in posts from both Tesla and Starlink, and in a Tesla showroom display as well.

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Tesla and Starlink put the news out on social media, and the showroom display included what looks like a roof-mounted antenna module. Still, the parts people will actually want to know aren’t here yet: no technical breakdown, no rollout schedule, no price. Tesla says Starlink is integrated directly into the vehicle, but the self-driving stack still runs on the car’s own onboard computer. Tesla Autopilot chief Ashok Elluswamy has also said Starlink isn’t required for safe operation, so this looks more like support hardware than the thing that lets the Cybercab drive itself.

The obvious uses are fleet dispatch, remote support, over-the-air updates, live routing, passenger 4K streaming, and a fallback connection if cellular service cuts out. If you’ve been following Tesla’s robotaxi push, this is something to keep an eye on. Then again, the geofenced operations running today in Austin and the San Francisco Bay Area already sit in places with strong cellular coverage.

Starlink V5 is smaller and lighter, reportedly draws 35 to 50 watts, and is rated at around 375 Mbps or higher. There’s a catch, though. Starlink also says V5 isn’t meant for in-motion use, especially on dense city streets. So for now, all you really have is the announcement itself through Tesla and Starlink’s own channels, while timing, cost and the final role it will play are still unannounced.

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