The new toy of Elon Musk They are the robotic axis autonomous and it is time to sell them promises and kindnesses through. The tycoon perfectly handles that game and the new direction of Tesla was not going to be an exception: he has just stated that, when they are at full capacity, They will do away with public transport because their service will be as cheap as taking the bus.
To do this, it needs its self-driving system to be truly autonomous, something it has promised year after year since 2017 but which has not yet become a reality. And when it does, it is at least questionable whether a trip in its robotaxis will cost the same as taking the subway or the bus.
“They will take people from one point to another for a cost similar to that of a bus ticket”
Tesla’s future is robotaxis and autonomous robots: Elon Musk Tesla said this in April, during the presentation of its first quarter results to its investors. It was necessary to encourage them in the face of falling sales, in a year that looks grim for Tesla with frozen electric sales and with Musk not exactly helping the brand’s image.
On Friday night, to praise his hypothetical new goose that lays the golden eggs, Musk took advantage of a tweet that mentioned that Norway is installing diesel generators on its electric public service buses to warm them up after the chaos suffered last year. Musk believes this is due to their batteries being too small to move a vehicle of their size, Something that won’t happen to Tesla’s robotaxis that they will be able to “work well even in the Arctic Circle.”
Then the battery packs of the busses are too small.
Teslas can operate well even above the Arctic Circle.
Also, busses will not be needed when Tesla rolls out unsupervised full self-driving, as they will take people point to point for a similar cost to a bus ticket.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 21, 2024
Sobrada falls short after the following: “In addition, Buses won’t be needed when Tesla launches fully unattended autonomous drivingas they will take people from one point to another for a cost similar to that of a bus ticket.” Almost nothing.
No robotaxis or fully autonomous driving. There are several reasons why this grandiloquent new idea deserves to be questioned. First, its robotaxis have not even been presented: they were supposed to be in August, but their official launch has been delayed (in principle) until October. And just because they are presented does not mean that they will quickly become a reality: hello, new and eternally delayed Tesla Roadster.
This delay could be due to the fact that the Texas Gigafactory data center has also been put into operation, which will be essential for controlling Tesla’s fleet of autonomous taxis.
But also to that Its autonomous driving system continues to resist it: today for today Autopilot FSD remains SAE 2 automationwhich requires hands on the wheel. Musk is a little late according to his own timetable of promises: the last time he mentioned the subject, he said that unattended driving in a Tesla could be possible between late 2024 and 2025.
It’s already working on it, though: earlier this month, Tesla said it would focus on improving Autopilot FSD in the US, which it plans to roll out to its cars in early 2025. It also hopes to get it working in Europe and China, though it will first need to get it approved.
Of the robotaxis de Tesla We also know very little at the moment. The only thing Musk has pointed out is that They will be a hybrid between Airbnb and Uber: In addition to Tesla’s own fleet, Tesla owners will be able to rent out their electric cars to make money. He even gave a figure: between 25 and 30% will be profits from “renting” their car as a transport service. He also said that these trips will be contracted through an app, as is the case with Uber.
Musk has also shown a demo of this ride-sharing app. Although there is no indication yet that it will allow people to hire vehicles that drive completely themselves, as Cruise and Waymo already do in some US cities. These robotaxis, by the way, are being investigated for several accidents that have resulted in fatalities and have caused quite a few incidents. That is why Cruise’s robotaxis stopped operating.
Waymo’s robotaxi serving San Francisco
Self-driving taxis replacing public transport? On the other hand, we have the price of this future service. Speaking of autonomous taxis, it would be logical that they would compete with the VTC services of Uber and similar firms, but not with public transport.
The cost of these trips in an Uber, for example in New York, ranges between 1 and 2 dollars per mile traveled, at a regular rate (in the dynamics it is much more expensive). In Spain the rate is now always variable depending on the demand and the route, although closed at the time of hiring itbut previously 1.20 euros were charged for each kilometre travelled and 0.10 euros for each minute of service.
The price of an Uber in New York far exceeds that of public transport: the Metrocard in this city (which allows you to use the bus and subway) costs 132 dollars per month, which in daily trips translates to about 0.34 dollars per mile, According to estimates.
As for the Rates for Tesla robotaxis, A study by the University of Virginia and the University of Texas at Austin estimated what its price would be based on its possible operating costs with a Model 3 as an example. And his conclusion is that it would have a price of 0.663 dollars per mile traveledThat is, twice as much as a bus or subway ride now costs in New York.
And if we look at the prices of robotaxis already operating in the US, A 15-minute journey costs around 7.60 euros.. A price closer to that of an Uber than that of taking the bus or the subway.
Musk has not explained what the magic formula will be that will allow them to be priced the same as a bus ticket, but as of now, neither taxis, nor Uber, and certainly not robotaxis, have made public transport obsolete. Precisely because the price of these services is much higher as they are chauffeur-driven services, whether or not a driver is at the wheel: taking us from point A to point B comfortably seated in the back seat of a car.
Source: www.motorpasion.com
