Tesla Cybertruck launched in 2019 but first delivered to dealers in November 2023
Tesla unveiled its Cybercab robot taxi at an elaborate launch event held in the back lot of a movie studio.
The company’s CEO, Elon Musk, spoke at the event, promising to create what he called “personal public transportation” at significantly reduced costs.
In addition to robotaxi, Tesla also released Robovan and Optimus humanoid robots. Robovan is an autonomous vehicle that can carry up to 20 passengers or transport cargo.
The automaker showed off 20 new vehicles at the “We, the Robots” event at Warner Bros. Discovery Studios in California. Musk conducted a self-driving demonstration on the street in the back lot, including showing off the vehicle’s self-driving capabilities.
During the event, Musk said that Cybercab’s operating costs averaged $0.20 per mile ($0.12 per kilometer). He also said that Cybercab will be sold for less than $30,000 when it is launched. The vehicle is designed for autonomous driving using artificial intelligence and vision-based technology. The aim is to eliminate the need for more expensive radars and other sensors and reduce the cost of Cybercab, although industry experts question whether full self-driving capabilities can be achieved without additional sensors.
Additionally, the Cybercab has no plug-in charging port; instead, it uses inductive charging.
The automaker’s shift toward developing robotaxis comes as the company experiences a decline in new vehicle sales and reports lower profits.
Revelations of its robotaxi plans sparked controversy earlier this year when Reuters reported that Tesla was abandoning its earlier plans to produce cheaper electric cars, citing three anonymous sources and internal documents. Musk denied the reports on the platform formerly known as Twitter, saying Reuters was “lying.” However, Musk did not provide any evidence to support his claims or attempt to dispute the details reported by Reuters.
Meanwhile, the Optimus Prime humanoid robot interacted with guests at the press conference and performed tasks such as bartending. Optimeyezzz robot bumblebee provides surveillance.
(Photo: Acura Media Group)
