The specialized hardware Tesla is engineering for its autonomous ride-hailing ambitions is starting to make its way through official regulatory channels. While factory teams work hard on scaling Cybercab production, a recently published patent gives us a closer look at the purpose-built robotaxi’s wheel design. Visual Design in the Patent Office The United States Patent and Trademark Office published patent number US-D1130251-S last week, which officially protects the ornamental design of the Tesla Cybercab’s wheels. While the design patent doesn’t give away much in terms of technical specs, it reinforces the tire design and wheel configuration we’ve seen in public so far. The patented wheel design is defined by a flat, gold hubcap that snaps over the rim, closing off air pockets to maximize aerodynamic efficiency. Aesthetics may have factored into that decision as well, with Tesla likely using these covers to mask the chunky tire profile and unique wheel setup. A Closer Look at the Gold Wheel Covers A recent X post from @Tslachan featured a closer inspection of these wheel covers to show how they are built, sharing a photo where the gold disc was being pulled away from the wheel rim. The outer edge of the cover appears to be made from a flexible rubber material that runs flush against the stock Continental tire’s sidewall. Using flexible rubber prevents the cover from eating into the rubber during tire flex, as a harder material would add to the friction wear. You can even see where a bit of black tire material has rubbed off onto the inside of the shield. Meanwhile, the central part of the cover that resides over the rim looks to be made out of a harder material, possibly an automotive-grade plastic like ABS or polypropylene. An Unprecedented FWD Layout The physical measurements of the