Tesla Says It’s Building a Wheelchair-Accessible Robotaxi
Tesla has announced it is developing a purpose-built autonomous vehicle designed to be wheelchair accessible, according to a company representative speaking before the Washington, D.C., City Council.
A Tesla representative disclosed on Monday that the company is developing an autonomous vehicle specifically built for wheelchair users. During a D.C. City Council hearing on a controversial bill that could allow robotaxi services in the district, Tesla senior policy advisor India Herdman stated: "We are in development for a purpose-built, wheelchair-accessible autonomous vehicle." She added that the vehicle is being built in Texas. Tesla did not provide further details on availability timelines.
Currently, Tesla operates a small autonomous fleet in Austin, Dallas, Houston, and Miami using the Model Y compact SUV, which lacks wheelchair accessibility. The company is also manufacturing and testing the Cybercab, a dedicated autonomous vehicle without steering wheels or pedals, but it too is not wheelchair accessible. Tesla has previously hinted at accessibility features, including braille controls and wheelchair-height seating for easier transfers, as noted in an X post.
No major U.S. robotaxi company currently offers fully driverless, wheelchair-accessible rides. Market leader Waymo's regional policy head Matt Walsh stated at the hearing that they have not yet identified a platform that meets both accessibility and technology retrofit requirements. May Mobility provides such services but requires a human operator to deploy ramps.
The Americans With Disabilities Act mandates reasonable accommodations in transportation. In September 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice sued Uber for alleged discrimination against riders with disabilities. General Motors' Cruise introduced a prototype wheelchair-accessible driverless taxi in 2023, but after a pedestrian collision and subsequent funding halt, development stalled.
