Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has announced that the long-awaited reveal of Tesla’s self-driving robotaxi is scheduled for August 8, 2024. This revelation follows recent speculation surrounding Tesla’s purported cancellation of a related entry-level vehicle for private buyers.
The announcement was made on Musk’s social media platform X (formerly Twitter) shortly after he denounced reports from Reuters claiming that Tesla had scrapped plans for a $25,000 small EV to prioritize the robotaxi project. According to sources cited by Reuters, Musk’s directive is to prioritize the development of the robotaxi, despite potential regulatory obstacles.
However, it remains uncertain whether Tesla will meet its projected deadline for mass production, given historical delays in the rollout of flagship models like the Cybertruck electric pickup and the Tesla Semi electric truck. Reports suggest that the robotaxi will share a platform with the canceled entry-level car, which was slated for release in 2025. Unlike vehicles targeted at private buyers, the robotaxi is expected to lack a steering wheel.
The impending debut of the robotaxi comes amidst growing scrutiny of Tesla’s semi-autonomous driving systems, including Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD). Despite being available to select US beta testers since September 2021, FSD remains without regulatory approval, despite Musk’s previous claims of over a million Tesla cars equipped with FSD hardware.
Tesla’s semi-autonomous driving technology has faced criticism for its alleged involvement in numerous crashes, with data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicating Tesla vehicles were implicated in over 80 percent of incidents involving vehicles using semi-autonomous driving modes. While Full Self-Driving has yet to be approved for use on Australian roads, Tesla is reportedly conducting tests of the technology locally.
