New York (AFP) – Electric vehicle-maker Tesla will debut its self-driving robotaxi, dubbed “Cybercab,” in Texas on Thursday in a bid to compete with the likes of Uber and Waymo. First unveiled in October 2024, the gold-colored vehicle has no pedals or steering wheel. With a capacity to carry two passengers, it was specifically designed to provide driverless taxi services. CEO Elon Musk on Thursday posted an image on X of a Cybercab looming over the Texas capital city Austin, where Tesla is headquartered, a cloud of dust behind it.
In late August, Tesla shared a promotional image on social media promising “exclusive access” to Cybercabs at Thursday’s event in Austin. The company has shared few specifics. Fans of the brand who claim they are among the invitees say the event will begin at 4:45 pm local time (2145 GMT). Last year, Tesla debuted its self-driving cars in Austin using its Model Y SUV vehicles, with the “Robotaxi” service gradually expanding to several other cities in Texas, Florida, and California. However, state laws require many of the vehicles to have a human supervisor or driver ready to take over control if necessary.
Waymo, the self-driving vehicle subsidiary of Google parent company Alphabet, offers its services in 11 US cities. Tesla had registered 314 robotaxis in Texas as of Wednesday, including 45 Cybercabs, according to FSD Database, based on data from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Itay Michaeli, an analyst at TD Securities, told AFP he expects a “slow launch” of the Cybercab similar to that of the Robotaxi. Tesla will likely take into account feedback from early users before expanding the service, he said.
Texas has regulations favorable to autonomous vehicles, making it one of the preferred testing grounds for many robotaxi services already in operation, such as Waymo and Zoox, or in trials, such as Motional. “Tesla is really just getting started,” said Anthony Townsend, a senior research associate at Cornell Tech, a policy research organization in New York. It remains to be seen which company in the crowded field has the best business model, he said. “It’s always been the promise AV taxi companies will become cheaper than human-driven rides, but it’s not clear that’s even within sight,” Townsend said in a note, adding that it’s also not known when the companies could break even.
© 2024 AFP
