If $v$ is an eigenvector for eigenvalue $λ$ of a graph $X$ and $α$ is an automorphism of $X$, then $α(v)$ is also an eigenvector for $λ$. Thus it is rather exceptional for an eigenvalue of a vertex-transitive graph to be simple. We study cubic vertex-transitive graphs with a non-trivial simple eigenvalue, and discover remarkable connections to arc-transitivity, regular maps and Chebyshev polynomials.