Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has introduced the much-anticipated robotaxi, called the Cybercab, at an event held at Warner Bros Studios in Burbank, California.
The Cybercab has a sleek design with two wing-like doors and lacks traditional features like pedals and a steering wheel. Musk showcased the vehicle to an eager audience, emphasizing its importance for Tesla’s future.
During the event, named “We, Robot,” Musk stated that he believes fully self-driving cars will be safer than those driven by humans. He also suggested that these vehicles could generate income for their owners by offering rides.
However, Musk’s timeline for starting production, which he said would happen “before 2027,” raised skepticism about whether he could meet this deadline. He joked about his tendency to be overly optimistic about timelines.
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He mentioned that the Cybercab would be priced under $30,000 (£23,000), but analysts expressed doubts about this estimate. Paul Miller from Forrester Research noted that it would be challenging for Tesla to release a vehicle at that price within the given timeframe, especially without outside financial help or if they intended to make a profit.
Musk also anticipated that fully autonomous technology would be available in Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y cars in Texas and California next year, pending regulatory approval. However, safety concerns remain significant, according to Samitha Samaranayake, an engineering professor at Cornell University.
Tesla relies on cameras instead of more expensive radar and Lidar systems used by many competitors. The company aims to use artificial intelligence (AI) to train its cars based on data collected from its vast fleet of vehicles. Yet, the research community is uncertain if Tesla’s approach can ensure the safety needed for self-driving cars.