Elon Musk Unveils Tesla's Robotaxi

Billionaire Elon Musk unveiled his company Tesla's robotaxi in Los Angeles on Thursday evening, envisioning production before 2027 despite numerous obstacles to overcome.


Elon Musk Unveils Tesla's Robotaxi
Elon Musk Unveils Tesla's Robotaxi


Tesla hopes to launch "completely autonomous, unsupervised" driving in Texas and California in 2025 with existing models before starting mass production of the robotaxi, called "cybercab," Tesla CEO Musk announced during his presentation.


The autonomous taxi, devoid of a steering wheel and pedals, is expected to be marketed for under $30,000, inductively rechargeable, and "10 to 20 times" safer than a human-driven car, Musk said from the Warner Bros. film studios.


"I tend to be a bit optimistic when it comes to deadlines, but in 2026, so yes, before 2027. Let me put it that way," the electric vehicle manufacturer's CEO continued. Fifty units of this vehicle with butterfly doors have already been manufactured, he added.


However, the "cybercab" will have to overcome technical and regulatory hurdles before it can carry its first passengers, as autonomous vehicles in general need to prove their reliability and safety.


"In an autonomous world, you can think of the car as a small living room. (...) You can do anything you want in it while you're in it, and when you get out, you'll have reached your destination," Musk described.


The event, initially announced on August 8, had been postponed to Thursday, with Musk citing, among other things, "a major design change at the front."


During a presentation short on specifics, Elon Musk also unveiled the "Robovan," an autonomous vehicle resembling a large toaster oven that is supposed to be able to carry 20 passengers or goods. He did not provide a date or any further details.


The billionaire also showed off dancing humanoid robots, dubbed "Optimus," claiming they would one day be able to perform household tasks and maintain friendly relationships, for a price between $20,000 and $30,000. Again, no schedule was given, and the capabilities of these robots were not clearly observable, although they did converse with visitors and serve them.


"Elon Musk has been talking about the imminent availability of self-driving cars for over a decade," comments Paul Miller, an analyst at Forrester. But "we're not there yet."


Years Behind


Tesla is several years behind Google (Alphabet)'s Waymo and General Motors (GM)'s Cruise, which have been operating since 2021.


Waymo has more than 700 robotaxis – white Jaguars – including 300 in San Francisco, but the service is also present in Phoenix (Arizona), Austin (Texas) – Tesla territory –, Los Angeles, and soon Atlanta (Georgia). The company provides 100,000 paid rides every week. Tests have begun on highways and toward the Phoenix airport.


Cruise operated in Phoenix, San Francisco, Houston, and Austin until it suspended its operations in October 2023 after accidents. It resumed five months later, with restrictions.


According to Garrett Nelson, an analyst at CFRA Research, "Tesla still does not have authorization to test self-driving vehicles" on the road network. Packed with cameras and lidars (detection lasers), robotaxis have sparked intense debate over their advances and the risks they pose.


Fatal Accidents


Tesla's "Autopilot," a driver-assistance system, has been blamed in fatal accidents. Its robotaxi will not be equipped with lidars, Elon Musk believing that cameras paired with an "artificial brain" are sufficient.


The challenge is primarily technological, to achieve the highest level of autonomy, considered equivalent to the human driver. According to S&P Global Mobility, this will not be before 2035.


Uber, the global ride-hailing giant, has partnered with many autonomous vehicle developers, particularly Cruise and Waymo, and WeRide in the United Arab Emirates, but also Avride and Coco (delivery robots). It already offers Waymo in Phoenix for rides and deliveries.


Unlike vehicles driven by humans, robotaxis can operate 24 hours a day, without getting sick, going on strike, or needing breaks, and studies show that they are less accident-prone. On the other hand, they could reach their limits on an unmarked road or in a blizzard.

Next Post Previous Post
No Comment
Add Comment
comment url