Without a driver, pedals, or steering wheel, Tesla’s new robotaxi will be as inexpensive as a bus ride that will compromise Uber plans for the upcoming future. Tesla is now ready to release one of its most inventive products to date, following years of testing. ‘Robotaxi’ will be unveiled by the company’s CEO, Elon Musk, during a Los Angeles event this Thursday, October 6. The cab, often referred to as a “Cybercab,” is anticipated to be completely driverless (without a steering wheel or pedals) and provide a brand-new transportation service run by Tesla, which will be a strong competitor against Uber drivers.Â
Uber’s future might be at risk in the United States
Elon Musk has already confirmed Thursday’s debut event, dubbed We Robot, which has been seen as a reference to the film I, Robot and a strong competitor to Uber. Although the exact pricing is unknown, it might be comparable to the Cybertruck from Tesla, which retails for at least $80,000 (€73,000). Musk’s autonomous vehicle, the Robotaxi, was first presented almost ten years ago as a substitute for conventional manned taxis. Because there are no drivers, passengers might use an app like Uber to order a ride in Robotaxi and be driven from point A to point B without having to speak to any of them. Instead of getting into the car and driving it themselves, the owner of the “Robotaxi” may use an app to send their vehicle to make the trip.Â
From the comfort of their recliner, users could theoretically purchase many Tesla Robotaxis and send them on separate excursions simultaneously to make money, unlike Uber services. For the passenger, rides could cost less than a bus fare, according to Elon Musk, while the money would mostly go to the owner of the ‘Robotaxi’ (Tesla would get a certain percentage of each fare). It is important to note that for Tesla, the ultimate goal is to bring fully autonomous driving capability to its vehicles, known in the industry as Level 5 autonomy.Â
Although Tesla cars now have advanced autonomous features that help the human driver, they are still a long way from being able to operate on public roads without a human driver. The ‘Robotaxi’ might become a reality if the We Robot event signals a breakthrough that advances us toward Level 5. However, in every state and country, Tesla would also need permission from the government to use its “Robotaxi” concept.
Musk’s unpopularity might be a lifesaver for UberÂ
According to recent internal polling, Musk is seen poorly by 1,000 registered voters in battleground districts. The polling was done on behalf of House Majority Forward, a nonprofit organization that supports House Democratic leadership. He has an upside-down approval rating (43 percent approve to 51 disapprove), and his favorability rating is much worse (42 percent friendly to 51 percent unfavorable). Additionally, the survey was finished from January 19 to 25, which was before some of Musk’s more drastic actions as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency.
When pollsters asked people what they thought about the idea of a government of the rich for the rich by appointing up to nine different billionaires to the administration, they discovered that 70% of respondents were against it and only 19% were in favor of it. This statistic suggests that Democrats have found a message that could resonate with swing voters. The following information and focus groups hosted by House Majority Forward helped focus attacks on the administration: According to the group, Democrats should highlight Musk’s conflicts of interest as head of DOGE and the fact that he could jeopardize important safety net programs to profit himself at the expense of American taxpayers, rather than criticizing Musk, Trump, and others for their wealth.
