LOS ANGELES – Tesla unveiled its long-awaited Robot Taxi at a Hollywood studio Thursday night, but fans of the electric car maker will have to wait until at least 2026.
CEO Elon Musk took to the stage in one of the company’s “CyberCabs” on Warner Bros. studio property, explaining that the sophisticated AI-powered vehicle had no steering wheel or pedals. told the audience. He also expressed confidence in the company’s progress in autonomous driving technology, which allows vehicles to operate without human intervention.
Tesla/Handout via Reuters
Tesla began selling software called “Full Self-Driving” nine years ago. However, its reliability is questionable.
“We will move from supervised full self-driving to unsupervised full self-driving where you can go to sleep and wake up at your destination,” he said. “It’s going to be a bright future.”
Musk said Tesla expects the CyberCab to cost less than $30,000. He expected these vehicles to be available in 2026, then added “by 2027.”
The company also plans to make fully self-driving technology available next year in the popular Model 3 and Model Y in Texas and California.
“If they end up with Robotaxis, they will first have to succeed with unmonitored FSD in their current lineup,” said Seth Goldstein, equity strategist at MorningStar Research. “Tonight’s events showed they are ready to take that step.”
Tesla had about 20 CyberCabs available, giving event attendees the chance to ride on film studio property instead of on Los Angeles streets.
In a presentation titled “We, Robot,” which will be livestreamed on Tesla’s website and A similar vehicle was also revealed.
The company also displayed several white-and-black humanoid robots called Optimus, who walked several feet away from attendees before performing dance moves on a futuristic-looking observation deck.
Tesla/Handout via Reuters
Musk estimated that the robot would cost between $28,000 and $30,000 and could perform tasks such as babysitting, mowing the lawn and picking up groceries.
“You can do anything you can think of,” he said.
The CyberCab announcement comes as Musk tries to convince investors it’s about artificial intelligence and robotics as his company struggles to sell its core product, an aging lineup of electric vehicles. Come when.
Tesla’s model lineup is struggling and won’t likely be updated until late next year at the earliest, TD Cowen analyst Jeff Osborn said in a research note last week.
Osborn also noted that in Cowen TD’s view, “the politicization of Elon” is hurting Tesla’s brand among Democratic buyers in the United States.
Musk has supported former president and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and promoted many conservative causes. Last weekend he Joined President Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania.
Musk has been saying for more than five years that a fleet of robotaxis is on the way, allowing Tesla owners to make money by ferrying passengers while their owners aren’t using them.
But he acknowledged that past predictions about the use of self-driving cars turned out to be too optimistic. In 2019, he promised to have self-driving cars by the end of 2020.
The announcement comes as U.S. safety regulators are investigating fully autonomous driving and Autopilot, based on evidence that systems meant to ensure human drivers are attentive are vulnerable.
In addition, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Tesla was forced to recall its fully self-driving cars in February Especially near intersections, which allowed speeding and violation of other traffic laws. Tesla planned to resolve the issue with an online software update.
Last April, a fully autonomous Tesla struck and killed a motorcyclist in Snohomish County, Washington, near Seattle, authorities said. The Tesla driver told authorities that he was using the system while looking at his cell phone when his car rear-ended the motorcycle. The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.
NHTSA said it is evaluating information about the fatal crash from Tesla and law enforcement officials.
The Justice Department is also seeking information from Tesla regarding full self-driving, Autopilot, and other items.
