Nandini Roy Choudhury, writer
Brief news
- Elon Musk showcased Tesla’s Cybercab concept at the “We, Robot” event, revealing plans for a low-cost, autonomous vehicle priced under $30,000, expected by 2027.
- He also announced an electric Robovan for transporting up to 20 people, both vehicles utilizing inductive charging technology.
- Musk reiterated his commitment to achieving full autonomy for Tesla vehicles, despite past unfulfilled promises, and introduced the humanoid robot Optimus at the event.
Detailed news
Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Thursday night promoted the company’s Cybercab concept, which is a low, silver two-seater that lacks steering wheels and pedals, after a decade of unfulfilled promises regarding autonomous vehicles.
Musk, who showed up at the “We, Robot” event in Burbank, California, in a Cybercab nearly an hour after it was scheduled to commence, disclosed that Tesla had 21 of these vehicles and a total of 50 “autonomous” cars on-site at the Warner Bros. studio. The event was invitation-only.
Musk did not disclose the precise location of Tesla’s auto manufacturing facility; however, he did assert that the Tesla Cybercab would be accessible to consumers at a price below $30,000. He stated that the organization intends to manufacture the Cybercab by 2027.
He also stated that he anticipates Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y electric vehicles will be equipped with “unsupervised FSD” in Texas and California by the end of the year.
FSD, or Full Self-Driving, is Tesla’s premium driver assistance system. It is currently accessible in a “supervised” variant for Tesla electric vehicles. At present, FSD necessitates a human pilot who is prepared to steer or halt at any moment. Tesla added the term “supervised” to the product name earlier this year.
Musk declared on Thursday evening that the future would be “glorious.”
Musk also disclosed his intention to develop an autonomous, electric Robovan that can convey up to 20 individuals or products. He stated that it will “solve for high density,” such as the transportation of a sports team.
He stated that the Cybercab and Robovan would utilize inductive charging, which would enable these autonomous vehicles to arrive at a station for recharging without the need for an outlet.
Musk has dedicated years to promoting Tesla’s autonomous vehicle development and assuring that they would be available for purchase. He has consistently concocted an extraordinary vision for shareholders, establishing and failing to meet his own deadlines.
Musk informed Tesla shareholders in 2015 that the vehicles would achieve “full autonomy” within three years. They did not. Musk declared in 2016 that Tesla vehicles would be capable of conducting cross-country journeys without human assistance by the conclusion of 2017. That did not transpire. In 2019, Musk stated during a call with institutional investors that would assist him in raising over $2 billion that Tesla would have 1 million robotaxi-ready vehicles on the road by 2020. These vehicles would be capable of completing 100 hours of driving work per week, generating revenue for their proprietors.
Musk continued to inform investors that autonomy was the company’s future in April of this year.
“If an individual does not believe that Tesla will resolve the issue of autonomy, I believe they should not be an investor in the company,” he stated during a conference call with analysts. “We are and we will.”
Musk extended an invitation to “party” at the event on Thursday night, which he had previously described as a “product launch.” He also announced that attendants would have the opportunity to test drive the autonomous vehicles in the enclosed environment of the movie studio’s grounds.
The CEO stated that Tesla’s humanoid robot, Optimus, which is currently in development, was not intended for “a canned video” toward the conclusion of his approximately 23-minute onstage appearance.
Musk stated, “The Optimus robots will walk among you,” and subsequently requested that attendees “be nice” to the robots, which would be serving drinks at a bar on site. The presentation concluded with Musk’s statement, “Let’s party,” and the livestream displaying a group of Optimus robots dancing to club songs.
The event marked Tesla’s inaugural product unveiling since the company unveiled the design of its Cybertruck in 2019. Five voluntary recalls have been conducted in the United States since the angular steel pickup was made available to consumers in late 2023.
Source : CNBC News
