Tesla Cybercab Impresses Florida Governor in Closed-Track Test at SunTrax

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis rode in a Tesla Cybercab on a closed test track this week and called the experience 'impressive' after the vehicle navigated simulated driving hazards.

What Happened

DeSantis posted on X that the Cybercab at SunTrax, Florida's 775-acre state-owned autonomous vehicle proving ground in Auburndale, 'successfully navigated all hazards — a kid running into the street, a crash with police stopping traffic, a Model S cutting us off.' Standing next to a gold Cybercab at the facility's 2.25-mile high-speed oval, DeSantis described the experience plainly: 'You go in there and you just sit. You have a screen. There's no steering wheel, no pedals.' He paired his praise with a caveat about safety validation being necessary before wider deployment.

Why It Matters

SunTrax is designed to simulate rain, pedestrian crossings, hills and crowded urban conditions at highway speeds — letting companies test beyond what early public rollouts would risk. Florida's regulatory approach is among the most permissive for autonomous vehicles in the country and does not require a human operator inside a fully autonomous car. Tesla has been expanding its existing Model Y-based robotaxi service with Miami added in July, followed by Orlando and Tampa two weeks later. A closed-track endorsement from a sitting governor doesn't immediately change those plans but puts Tesla's newest hardware in front of a state already positioned to move quickly on AV rules.

The Bottom Line

The Cybercab entered volume production at Gigafactory Texas this spring and has self-certified as SAE Level 4 under Texas law. DeSantis's positive assessment adds credibility with regulators, even if the governor himself noted that autonomous vehicles still need to prove they won't 'drive you into a ditch' before reaching broad public acceptance.