Tesla Robotaxi Joins Us in Two Years, Says Elon Musk
Tesla, CEO Elon Musk’s Warner Bros. headquarters in Los Angeles The company made a bold entry into the robotaxi market with the introduction of its new autonomous Robotaxi vehicle during the We, Robot event at the Studios. The sleek, silver chrome car is designed without a steering wheel or pedals and will charge wirelessly using induction. Musk announced that Robotaxi’s price will be below $30,000.
The rollout of fully autonomous driving will begin in Texas and California next year, starting with Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y. Musk predicts production of Robotaxi, also called Cybercab, will begin in 2026, pending regulatory approvals. Expressing optimism about the future, he said, “I think this will be a wonderful future.”
There was also a passenger minibus called Robovan.
In addition to Robotaxi, Musk introduced a larger autonomous vehicle called Robovan, which can accommodate up to 20 passengers and carry goods. During the event, Musk announced that both vehicles are from Warner Bros. He showed off his skills by having him wander around the Studios grounds. He emphasized the potential of autonomy to ease the burdens of travel, such as the frustration of being stuck in Los Angeles traffic for hours, saying: “With autonomy, you get your time back.”
The self-driving industry is booming, with major players such as Alphabet-owned Waymo operating in cities such as San Francisco, Phoenix and Los Angeles. Amazon’s Zoox is also testing its vehicles in cities like San Francisco and Seattle. GM-owned Cruise has resumed some operations after encountering setbacks.
Tesla is introducing the Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature, which, despite its name, still requires the driver to be attentive. FSD can help with lane changing, parking and navigation, but it doesn’t yet work without supervision. Tesla owners must pay a subscription fee for FSD, which has faced regulatory scrutiny. In 2022, California’s DMV accused Tesla of false advertising regarding its features, which led to a criminal investigation by the Department of Justice.
Musk has long asserted that Tesla will create a fully autonomous vehicle. He expressed confidence in achieving full autonomy by 2021. However, this goal has not yet been met. The concept of a Tesla robotaxi fleet was first proposed in 2019. The aim was to deliver one million robotaxi tests without passengers by the end of 2020. This deadline was not met either.
Human drivers can be disabled with Robotaxi and Robovan
Musk highlighted the safety benefits of the Robotaxi and Robovan. He claimed that autonomous vehicles could be ten times safer than human drivers. These vehicles will enable passengers to use their travel time for leisure and business activities. Musk stated, “It will save lives, as well as many others, and prevent injuries.”
The event also featured developments in Tesla’s humanoid robot, which Musk claimed could perform various tasks such as baby care, grocery shopping and beverage service. He estimated the robot would eventually cost between $20,000 and $30,000.
Although Tesla’s goals are high, the company faces stiff competition from other companies in the autonomous vehicle field. Waymo, for example, operates more than 100,000 rides per week and plans to expand into new cities, including Austin and Atlanta, through its partnership with Uber. As Tesla tries to meet its aggressive timeline, the industry is closely monitoring whether it will deliver on these promises.
