05:18 09-01-2026

USPTO suspends Tesla’s Cybercab robotaxi trademark after UniBev claim

Tesla has run into an unexpected legal snag over the Cybercab name — the badge meant to headline its future robotaxi. Despite a high-profile unveiling on October 10, 2024, the company didn’t secure the trademark in time. When Tesla finally filed in November 2025, it turned out the name already belonged to French beverage maker UniBev.

The USPTO issued a suspension notice: formally, Tesla cannot use a brand already held by another rights owner. The automaker tried to persuade the office that its project is broader in scope and deserves priority, but the regulator rejected those arguments — the rules apply equally. It’s not the first time the paths of these companies have crossed: UniBev had earlier obtained rights to the Teslaquila name. For a brand that usually scripts its launches down to the last detail, the oversight feels surprisingly avoidable.

Two paths remain: open talks to buy the rights or rename the robotaxi previously shown as a concept. Buying could prove expensive given the scale of branding Tesla has already put in motion. Renaming is risky, since Cybercab was designed to echo the Cybertruck-inspired aesthetic — and breaking that visual thread could blunt the story the company set out to tell.