It seems Elon Musk’s latest flex involves something far more strategic than just launching production for two-seater autonomous electric pods by 2027 at a promised $30,000 price point. More likely, this is a high-stakes move to hype his driverless technology and convince the world that cars without a cockpit for a driver or operator are no longer just Cyberpunk 2077 concept art, but a looming reality.

"The design of the Cybercab is a bold statement, but the path to regulatory approval is paved with more than just sleek aesthetics; it requires a level of safety data we haven't fully seen yet," says industry analyst Sam Abuelsamid in a recent tech briefing.

It’s one thing to claim a high level of autonomy while keeping the familiar steering wheel and pedals — many manufacturers have already done that. Such a vehicle is perceived as a traditional car that just happens to have a "full autonomy" mode (allegedly). But it’s a total vibe shift when a car literally has no other option but to be fully autonomous. When the manual controls are deleted entirely, the vision becomes much more persuasive to the public eye.