Tesla introduced a robotaxi called CyberCab at its “We, Robot” event at Warner Bros. Discovery Studios in California. It comes six months after Elon Musk revealed that the company plans to introduce robotaxis. Mr. Musk headed to the stage in a Cybercab with no steering wheel or pedals and announced that he had “20 more cars” from wherever they came from. He talked about how the current transportation system is “terrible” and how cars are always waiting. Self-driving cars could be used more, he said. “With self-driving, you can take your time back. Self-driving cars will be 10 times safer.”
He said the cost of self-driving transportation will be so low that it will be comparable to mass transit. Over time, he said, robotaxis will cost 20 cents per mile to operate, or 30 to 40 cents including taxes. He confirmed to the audience that people can buy the CyberCab and that Tesla plans to sell it for less than $30,000. He even envisions a future where people can own multiple vehicles, manage them like “shepherds,” and even make money through ride-sharing networks. When asked when this model would be available, Tesla said it would start by making fully self-driving, unsupervised, full-cell driving available on the Model 3 and Model Y in Texas and California. Musk has said that the CyberCab is expected to be in production by 2027, but he admitted that he himself tends to be “very optimistic about deadlines.” And he does — back in 2019, he said Tesla would have “more than 1 million robotaxis on the road” within a year.
Speaking about Cybercab’s technology, he said it uses AI and vision. Tesla has long dropped radars and sensors that are widely used by other robotaxis like Waymo. This eliminates the need for expensive equipment, allowing Tesla to keep manufacturing costs low. One thing to note is that the Cybercab does not come with a charging port and instead uses inductive charging.
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Reuters reported in April that Mr. Musk had ordered the company to go “fully committed” to robotaxis built on its small car platform. Musk previously said the model would be unveiled on August 8th, but later requested “significant design changes to the front” and the company’s robotaxi event would be postponed to October. Announced. The delay will give the company extra time to “show off some other things,” he explained. The CyberCab that Tesla unveiled to the audience today is all silver and appears to have taken design cues from the Cybertruck. There is no rear windshield and the doors open upwards.
In addition to reporting on the existence of robotaxis, Reuters revealed in April that Tesla had scrapped plans for a $25,000 affordable electric car. Musk claimed that was a lie, but another Electrek report backed up the Reuters story, citing a “source familiar with the matter” who told the publication that development of a low-cost electric vehicle had been delayed.
After talking about CyberCab, Musk briefly introduced RoboVan, a self-driving van that can carry up to 20 people and transport goods. The ability to transport large groups, such as sports teams, will further reduce travel costs, he said. Finally, Musk brought up Tesla’s parade of humanoid robot Optimus. Musk said Tesla has made dramatic advances in development over the past year and could one day teach children, mow their lawns and even be their friends. He believes Tesla could sell an Optimus robot that mingles with spectators and serves drinks during events for $20,000 to $30,000.
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