Your car is running late
Elon Musk confirmed during Tesla’s second-quarter earnings call that the previously-delayed reveal event for the company’s upcoming Robotaxi is now scheduled to take place on October 10 and that other new products would join it at the event.
The purpose-built autonomous ride-hailing vehicle was initially scheduled to debut on August 8, but Musk said he was putting it off to implement some improvements into the vehicle. Tesla hasn’t revealed any images or descriptions of the vehicle, but it is not expected to take the form of a shuttle van like ideas shared several years ago did.
The Robotaxi will use the same Full Self-Driving software that is available in retail Teslas and will be deployed in a company-run service when the software is ready.
‘FULL SELF-DRIVING’ TESLA CYBERTRUCKS ARE HITTING THE ROAD SOON, MUSK SAYS
Musk said he thinks fully driverless capability safer than a human driver will be achieved by the end of this year, but that he has been optimistic of reaching that goal in the past. Musk once predicted that Tesla would be able to complete a coast-to-coast autonomous driving demonstration in 2017. However, during the call he said that he would be “shocked” if it didn’t happen by sometime in 2025.
The plan for the service is that Tesla will own and operate a fleet of the Robotaxis while Tesla owners will be able to add their vehicles to the fleet whenever they are not using them and will be paid a share of the revenue.
Musk expects Robotaxi production to begin at its factory in Austin, Tex., starting next year. He also reconfirmed that a low-priced Tesla model the second-generation Roadster will be released next year.
ELON MUSK SAYS TESLA ROADSTER IS LAUNCHING IN 2025 WITH ROCKETS, SUB-1-SECOND 0-60 MPH TIME
The Roadster was first revealed in 2017, but has been postponed several times. Musk promises it will employ cold gas thrusters borrowed from Space X and be able to accelerate to 60 mph in less than one second.
FRIDAY FANTASY: THAT TIME DODGE BUILT A TESLA ROADSTER
