Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO has had ideas that have literally been out of this world in the past. Now, he is about to reveal yet another tempting prospect, the Cybercab Robotaxi, on October 10.
The concept for the Robotaxi originates from Musk’s dream of a society filled with self-driving electric cars that would serve as a modern taxi.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) agrees with him, predicting that autonomous vehicles will disrupt the automobile industry. It also states that these self-driving cars can enhance road safety, reduce traffic jams, and lower the cost of transportation services by 70% or more.
A mountain of challenges and competition for Tesla’s Cybercab
Tesla has faced criticism in the past for underdelivering on promises, and the Cybercab is no different.
Musk has made people wait a long time for the Cybercab since it was announced in 2019. Some of those delays have been caused by technical challenges, with full self-driving technology (FSD) at the top of that list.
Tesla had to recall two million vehicles due to safety concerns after scrutiny from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). These setbacks raise questions about the safety and viability of the Cybercab.
The Cybercab is already attracting investors, and a successful launch could see the Tesla valuation shoot from $750 billion to $5 trillion.
The company’s ambition is laudable. However, there is stiff competition. Waymo has rolled out fully autonomous taxis, while Cruise is currently testing its Robotaxi service in urban environments. This means that Tesla’s marketing team has its work cut out.
They do have the competitive advantage of having Tesla and Elon Musk’s names to work with. Another major difference between Tesla and its competitors is that Tesla is integrating FSD into existing vehicles, while the others are building special-purpose vehicles.
The Robotaxi race
Tesla, founded in 2003, made its name as an electric vehicle manufacturer before pivoting into autonomous driving technology. The Robotaxi is an offshoot of the EV maker.
Elon Musk has raised the hopes of attendees of the October 10 reveal. However, we must ask: is this feasible considering that Tesla makes optimistic predictions and has repeatedly failed to deliver on the Cybercab after all these years?
Robotaxis can potentially disrupt the transportation sector, eliminating the need for human drivers, reducing transportation costs, and significantly reducing the impact of global climate change.
However, the WEF cautions that comprehensive regulatory frameworks need to be in place. In the eventual success of robotaxis, companies like Uber would take the worst hit unless they also evolve and embrace the technology.
Tesla’s Q3 report is due on October 23. However, it recorded a yearly decline in its Q1 data, which came in at a total revenue of $21.30 billion. The underperformance was attributed to lower delivery volumes, price cuts to maintain market competitiveness and a general decline in automotive revenue.
Tesla remains optimistic about its long-term growth prospects, and a strong performance with the Cybercab reveal would go a long way.
However, analysts have been vocal in tempering the optimism of the public and potential investors that we might not even see a car just yet.
