Tesla CEO Elon Musk says the long-awaited “robotaxi” will go into production in 2026, and cost US$30,000
- Tesla unveiled its Cybercab self-driving prototype, along with an autonomous bus and humanoid robots
- Elon Musk claims the cabs will retail for US$30,000 and begin production in 2026
- Unlike existing driverless cabs, it will use AI and cameras to get around by itself
Elon Musk has finally unveiled the Tesla Cybercab, a self-driving taxi he said will begin production in 2026, cost US$30,000, and charge wirelessly. Alongside it at the unveiling – he rode onstage, there, in the electric taxi – was a 20-passenger Robovan he also promised was coming down the pipe, as well as several humanoid robots that served drinks to attendees.
While virtually all current conventional taxis are sedans or SUVs, the Cybercab is a hatchback with two gull-wing doors, a large cargo area, and no rear window. Its interior has only a centre screen, similar to the company’s current vehicles, but no steering wheel or pedals. Musk said it would charge wirelessly through induction charging.
He also said people would be able to buy a fleet of the robotaxis and operate them similarly to Uber, and that over time, the operating costs would be 20 cents per mile. Previously he had outlined a Tesla app that would allow people to hail self-driving Tesla cars, or operate their own as a ride-hailing vehicle through it, but so far that hasn’t come to fruition, and it wasn’t mentioned at the unveiling.
Musk said the self-driving taxis could be ten times safer than humans, and drive five to ten times longer. He also said the cabs would use artificial intelligence and cameras, rather than hardware such as lidar used by other autonomous vehicles, including Waymo’s ride-hailing cars.
The Robovan also unveiled has styling based on the streamlined trains of the Art Deco era, and with seating for up to 20 passengers and an estimated operating cost of just five cents per mile. That’s about all the information given, with nothing on price or when it’s expected to go into production.
The humanoid robots, dubbed Optimus, danced onto the stage during the presentation and later acted as bartenders. Musk said they would also eventually go on sale at a cost of US$28,000 to $30,000, and would be able to do household tasks, act as teachers, or be “just your friend.”
And while vehicle induction charging exists – BMW has a pilot program for it, and other automakers are working on prototypes – it’s not yet a widespread option for vehicles, and could potentially be difficult to include at the Cybercab’s projected price point. As with most of Tesla’s new-vehicle unveilings, we’ll have to wait (and perhaps wait and wait) to see just what happens.
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