Elon Musk presents his vehicles of the future

Tesla boss Elon Musk announces his entry into the robotaxi business with a big show in Hollywood and wants to build the cars in two years. But many questions remain unanswered.

Tesla boss Elon Musk is betting on a robotaxi – and a self-driving bus – for the future of the electric car manufacturer. The taxi called “Cybercab” has two upward-opening wing doors and looks like a coupé based on the Tesla bestseller Model 3.

The “Cybercab” will also be available for purchase – and it should cost less than $30,000, said Musk. Tesla Production of the vehicle is expected to begin in 2026. At the same time, the tech billionaire admitted that he tends to be too optimistic about timelines.

First of all, software for autonomous driving, in which humans do not have to intervene, should hit the streets in Texas and California next year in the current Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. Musk still wants to get by with just cameras and software without expensive technology like the laser radars of other self-driving cars.

Musk also unveiled a futuristic-looking self-driving bus called “Robovan” that can hold up to 20 people. The wedge-shaped front is somewhat reminiscent of earlier visions of the future for locomotives. The “Robovan” could also transport goods, said Musk. There was no information on when the vehicles might hit the road.

Tesla’s humanoid robot “Optimus” also made an appearance, which, according to Musk, will be “the largest product of any kind.” Every person will have at least one as a mechanical helper.

Robotaxi rides in Hollywood studio

Musk was driven to the stage at the event on the grounds of the Hollywood studio Warner Bros. in Los Angeles in one of the “cybercabs” without a steering wheel or pedals. Since it is private property, Tesla did not need permission from traffic authorities for the event, which took weeks to prepare.

In the extensive film sets, Tesla provided a small fleet of “cybercabs” to drive those present. Analysts and Tesla influencers who excessively praise the electric car company and its founder online were invited. Media representatives were not welcome. For the event, Musk took time out of his campaign support for Donald Trump, who wants to move back into the White House in November.

Waymo is already making 100,000 robotaxi rides per week – Elon Musk is lagging behind

Now robotaxis have long been on the road, at least in the USA. Particularly far ahead is Google’s sister company Waymo, whose vehicles make more than 100,000 trips with passengers in four US cities every week without a human behind the wheel. In San Francisco in particular, Waymo’s Jaguar electric vehicles, which have been converted into self-driving cars, are an integral part of the cityscape.

Industry expert Ferdinand Dudenhöffer said music is too late not only in the USA, but also in China. “Robotaxis have been operating in large numbers in China for three years. By the time Musk brings them onto the market, they will be in all major cities in China.” He has no chance there.

In the competition for the autonomous future, Musk is relying on fleet size – and price. A current vehicle from Waymo can have technology on board for around $100,000, as co-chief executive Dmitri Dolgov said during a recent appearance. If Tesla actually succeeds in implementing autonomous driving using only cameras, that would be a significant cost advantage – and with several million vehicles already on the road. But it is still unclear whether the goal can even be achieved with Musk’s methods.

Dudenhöffer also believes that the announced price of $30,000 is not very credible. “His autopilot showed how weak cameras are as sensors in autonomous driving. Slight weather influences, for example, can blind the cameras. This means accidents are inevitable.” The cybercab is “a bet that doesn’t work out.”

Elon Musk has been making big promises since 2016

Musk has repeatedly announced since 2016 that Tesla would soon make a breakthrough in autonomous driving. A year later, he said, people behind the wheel would be able to sleep while driving in just a few months. He also promised years ago that all Tesla owners would be able to send their cars onto a robotaxi platform to earn money. Tesla has long been making car buyers pay in advance for the ability to drive autonomously. Investors always seem to take the big promises seriously.

In reality, Tesla’s “Autopilot”, even in the advanced version with the addition of “Full Self-Driving” (FSD), is currently only a driving assistance system. The drivers always bear responsibility and must be ready to take control at any time.

Tesla drivers in the USA have been able to test the FSD version of “Autopilot” in a beta version for several years. Recently, many people reported that the software tried to drive through intersections on red or turn out of the wrong lane. That’s why drivers have to keep reaching for the steering wheel.

San Francisco residents are annoyed by robotaxis

Waymo’s robotaxis, on the other hand, navigate confidently through the dense traffic of San Francisco. They drive around vehicles parked on the side of the road, turn left at intersections without traffic lights and brake for road users who give way to them. But Waymo cars also make mistakes that get on the nerves of San Francisco residents. So sometimes they stop and block traffic. Just the other day, one of the robotaxis stopped in the middle of the street in a U-turn maneuver while Vice President Kamala Harris’s convoy of vehicles was approaching. A police officer had to get behind the wheel and pull the car over.

Robotaxi instead of cheaper Model 2

Musk postponed the development of a cheaper Tesla model on a new platform for the robotaxi, which would open up a larger market for the pioneer. Instead, Musk announced that Tesla’s future lies in autonomous driving.

In recent months, Tesla’s once rapid growth has slowed significantly. Accordingly, the share price is well away from its previous highs, at which Tesla was worth more than a trillion dollars. Musk is known for repeatedly igniting investors’ imaginations with full-bodied promises and visions of the future. The share price is not insignificant for Musk: the Tesla stake makes up a large part of his assets, which the financial service Bloomberg currently estimates at more than 250 billion dollars.

Text: dpa/ Editor: JN