Top News

• Gary Black called the Cybercab event “largely a bust,” citing limited deployment details and no livestream.
• Tesla has registered 45 Cybercabs in Texas, while its total 420-vehicle robotaxi fleet trails Waymo’s nearly 1,000 vehicles.
• NHTSA is evaluating Cybercab rides because the vehicles lack steering wheels, pedals and mirrors, while Tesla has not sought an exemption.

Shares of Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) slid 2% in premarket trading on Friday after the company’s Cybercab launch drew criticism over its limited disclosures and unresolved regulatory questions, while investor Ross Gerber said that a potential merger with SpaceX could create a must-own asset for global investors.

TSLA stock jumped 5% on Thursday to its highest level in over a month, marking a second straight session of gains. Shares are up 8% this week and are on track for their best weekly performance in nearly four months.  

Gary Black Calls Tesla Cybercab Event A ‘Bust’ 

“Despite efforts to control the narrative, $TSLA’s Cybercab event was largely a bust,” Future Fund Managing Director Gary Black said on X. Tesla formally added the two-seat Cybercab, which lacks a steering wheel and pedals, to its robotaxi fleet and offered attendees rides. However, the brief presentation was not livestreamed and provided few details about the vehicle’s deployment.

Tesla had registered 45 Cybercabs in Texas as of Wednesday, although it was unclear how many were operating at the launch. As of Thursday night, users also could not specifically request one through Tesla’s ride-sharing app. Including the new vehicles, Tesla’s Texas robotaxi fleet totals about 420, mostly Model Ys, which is less than half the nearly 1,000 vehicles registered by Alphabet’s Waymo.

Tesla Bulls Praise Cybercab Despite Launch Concerns

Even Tesla supporter Alexandra Merz, known on X as TeslaBoomerMama, said the absence of a livestream “still puzzles me.” Elon Musk did not appear during her session, while the Optimus robot on display was not the expected V3 model. “Do I have something groundbreaking to report back? No,” Merz said. Still, she praised the Cybercab itself, saying the vehicle offered “excellent comfort inside and it just works.”

“What matters is how well they executed our future of transportation. Perfection. A+,” she added.

Meanwhile, Deepwater Asset Management Managing Partner Gene Munster was more bullish, predicting Tesla would add 300 Cybercabs to Austin over the next month. “Elon’s days of being ‘paranoid’ over accidents appear to be coming to an end,” Munster said. “That’s just the start.”

NHTSA Evaluates Tesla Cybercab Rides

Tesla had not filed an exemption request with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as of Wednesday. The regulator is now evaluating Cybercab rides in Austin because the two-seater lacks steering wheels, pedals and mirrors, which are generally required under federal safety standards. “NHTSA is in contact with Tesla and is evaluating the situation,” a spokesperson told Reuters. By comparison, Amazon’s (AMZN) Zoox secured an exemption from several federal safety standards in July before commercially deploying its purpose-built robotaxi. 

Gerber Owns ‘A Lot More SpaceX’ Than Tesla

Gerber Kawasaki CEO Ross Gerber said Tesla must show that its autonomous fleet can scale safely and profitably. “That’s the game, can they do this when there’s 100,000 cars working? Because we can’t have people dying,” he told CNBC.

Gerber praised Waymo for operating without a fatality and said wider autonomous-vehicle adoption could reduce deaths caused by human drivers. However, he called Tesla’s robotaxi business “unproven and difficult” and questioned whether it would be profitable.

Gerber also disclosed that he owns “a lot more SpaceX” than Tesla, citing his confidence in Starlink and xAI. “In essence, Tesla doesn’t own its own operating system, it’s owned by SpaceX,” he said, arguing that the issue must be resolved “either by merging the companies or something.”

Gerber said a combination could place Tesla, SpaceX, Starlink and xAI under one investment. “Investors would love one investment that’s just all of this stuff in one pot, and it becomes a must-have in your portfolio as a global investor,” he said.

How Do Retail Traders Feel About TSLA?

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for TSLA slipped to ‘neutral’ from ‘bullish’ levels a day ago amid a 125% jump in 24-hour message volumes.

One user said, “$TSLA The first reviewers videos are starting to hit youtube and its pretty underwhelming TBH. This is going to get slapped down hard tomorrow.”

Another user said, “$TSLA ain’t that Dandy! real Cybercab, real paying/passenger service. Bearish: 45 vehicles + regulatory constraints + no evidence yet of rapid mass-scale deployment. 

So far this year, Tesla's stock has lagged its "Magnificent Seven" peers, making it the group's worst performer, down about 16%. 

For updates and corrections, email newsroom[at]stocktwits[dot]com.<