In a video posted on X, a Tesla enthusiast hops into what was once the driver’s seat of a new matte gold Cybercab. “Once” because the vehicle, which officially hit the streets earlier this month as part of Tesla’s Robotaxi ride-hail service, doesn’t have a steering wheel or brake pedals.
\n\nFor the person in the front seat, this opens up new possibilities. Eat, game, watch, work. Or doze. To help you catch some z’s, the enthusiast demonstrates that the Cybercab’s seats can recline. “You can really go back,” he says. “You can really just sleep here.”
\n\nOr maybe don’t. In the official Cybercab rider guide, Tesla says passengers in its autonomous vehicles should keep their seat backs reclined no more than 35 degrees from vertical, with their seatbelts snug across their hips and their feet flat on the floor. Doing so “reduces the risk of injury in a collision or sudden stop.” (Tesla did not respond to WIRED’s questions for this story.)
\n\nSafety researchers say Tesla’s right here. In fact, passengers sitting in less-than-standard positions in any car are more likely to get hurt in a crash, even with their seatbelts fastened. According to US federal safety data, 42 people…
Original source: https://www.wired.com/