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Tesla fans recently spotted one of the new Cybercabs testing in a seemingly random city: Chicago. What’s more, a mysterious liquid appeared to be dripping down the trunk lid. Because the vehicle has no gasoline, transmission fluid, or traditional engine oil, the leak puzzled observers.

A Tesla expert weighed in and offered an explanation. Tesla is likely testing a rear camera washer feature.

I grew up in snowy Vermont. One of my morning chores was brushing snow off the cars and starting them to warm up. If the vehicle had a backup camera, you had another task. You had to wipe mud and road salt off the rear camera. Its location collects grime quickly.

Now imagine you’re engineering a self-driving taxi. Tasks that are trivial for a human driver become serious engineering problems. Waymo, for example, now pays freelancers $20 to travel to stranded vehicles and close doors left open by passengers.

Why camera cleanliness matters for robotaxis

The Tesla Cybercab does not use lidar. It relies entirely on exterior cameras to navigate. If mud covers one of those cameras, the vehicle suddenly develops a blind spot. That failure could leave it stranded or unsafe. Tesla appears to be developing a solution.

Tesla has already rolled out a Robotaxi business for beta testers. It uses modified Model Y EVs in Austin, Texas, and San Francisco, California. The company has announced plans to expand to Las Vegas, Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, and Miami. It clearly hopes to reach cold-weather cities such as Chicago at some point.

Automotive journalist and Tesla expert Sawyer Merritt reposted the spy photo of the dripping Cybercab. He identified the feature as a rear camera washer. “This is a feature many Tesla owners have been asking for, especially in snowy areas. Hope it makes it to the rest of the lineup.” You can see the post embedded below:

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Staff Writer

Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari is a MotorBiscuit Staff Writer who brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. He’s an avid attendee at local car shows in the Detroit area and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts. Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont.

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