At a much-anticipated event in Los Angeles, Tesla CEO Elon Musk stepped onto the Warner Bros. stage to introduce a future many have dreamt of but few thought achievable any time soon: a world where cars drive themselves, where steering wheels are relics of the past, and where the hustle of daily commuting is replaced by peaceful, autonomous journeys.
With the unveiling of Tesla’s new robotaxi and an unexpected debut of a robovan, Musk announced without words that Tesla’s future isn’t about more affordable electric cars; it’s about changing the very nature of transportation.
Musk, in his signature leather jacket, looked out at the gathered crowd and declared, “The autonomous future is here.” He had, once again, laid out a bold vision. This time, however, the stakes were higher. Gone were the promises of more mass-market EVs. Instead, he was betting big on robotaxi fleets and autonomous public transportation, with Tesla at the center of it all.
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The star of the show was the “Cybercab,” a sleek vehicle with two gull-wing doors and, perhaps most importantly, no steering wheel or pedals. This is not just a car, Musk implied—it’s a new way of thinking about mobility. Production of the Cybercab is slated for 2026, and the price is less than $30,000, a surprisingly affordable figure for such advanced technology.
“This will change how people think about transportation,” Musk said. “With autonomy, you get your time back.” And time, he emphasized, is the most valuable resource.
Musk also introduced the robovan, a vehicle capable of carrying up to 20 passengers. The details were sparse, but the concept was enough to stir excitement—a vehicle designed not for individuals, but for mass transit, operated entirely by AI.
Musk spoke passionately about the cost-effectiveness of these vehicles. The Cybercab, he explained, would cost only 20 cents per mile to run, and the robovan would be even cheaper, operating at an astonishing 5 cents per mile. Charging would be inductive, meaning no more plugs, just seamless wireless charging.
For Musk, the numbers were compelling. “This will revolutionize urban mobility,” he asserted. Yet even as he spoke, there was an air of caution among analysts and industry experts who know all too well the roadblocks ahead.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 11, 2024
The Road Ahead for Robotaxis
Elon Musk has a long history of painting bright pictures of the future—sometimes brighter than reality allows. In 2019, he was “very confident” that Tesla would have operational robotaxis by 2020. Four years later, the promise remains elusive. This time, Musk didn’t offer hard timelines for when the robotaxi fleet might become a reality, and for good reason.
The challenges are immense. Building the technology is just the beginning. Autonomous vehicles must navigate regulatory frameworks that differ from state to state, country to country. Ensuring the safety and reliability of such vehicles—particularly in adverse weather, complex intersections, or in the unpredictable presence of pedestrians—is another hurdle that cannot be easily overcome.
Tesla unveiled driverless taxis and a bus
They have no steering wheel or pedals at all.
The presentation in California was held by Elon Musk.
The robotaxi (Pic 1 & video 1) is called “Cybercab,” will cost less than $30,000, charge wirelessly and will be “10 to 20 times safer”… pic.twitter.com/Y3FeJbisMM
— Soumyajit Pattnaik (@soumyajitt) October 11, 2024
“Getting a robotaxi network operational takes years,” noted Jessica Caldwell, head of insights at Edmunds, a car research and buying platform. “Musk did a fantastic job of painting an ideal future for transportation that promises to both free up our time and increase safety. But many questions remain about how this will be achieved from a practical standpoint.”
In fact, some competitors in the space have already pulled back. General Motors’ Cruise program, for instance, indefinitely suspended plans for its autonomous “Origin” vehicle due to similar challenges. Meanwhile, Alphabet’s Waymo, a key competitor, has a fleet of around 700 robotaxis in operation but is still far from scaling up to Musk’s vision.
Musk’s strategy diverges from his competitors in another key area: the use of lidar technology. Unlike Waymo, which relies on lidar sensors, Tesla’s vehicles use only cameras and AI for navigation. While Musk has long dismissed lidar as expensive and unnecessary, many experts remain skeptical. They believe that relying solely on AI and cameras could present serious technical challenges, especially in environments where precision is key.
However, Musk is confident in his idea and the technology that will make it happen.
“We expect to start fully autonomous unsupervised FSD (Full Self-Driving) in Texas and California next year,” he said, referencing Tesla’s current self-driving technology, which still requires driver supervision.
While the Cybercab was the expected highlight of the event, the reveal of the robovan caught many by surprise. Designed to carry up to 20 people, the robovan could potentially disrupt the public transportation space, offering a cleaner, cheaper alternative to traditional buses. Musk didn’t dive into specifics about how the robovan would operate or when it might hit the streets, but the concept was bold enough to stir speculation.
“It’s about making transportation more accessible and affordable,” Musk explained, reinforcing Tesla’s vision of not just individual vehicles but an entire ecosystem of AI-driven transportation options.
The event, dubbed “We, Robot,” seemed to borrow inspiration from Isaac Asimov’s science-fiction stories. Tesla, Musk suggested, should not be seen as merely an automaker but as a leader in AI and robotics. To underscore this point, Musk also took the opportunity to highlight Tesla’s progress with Optimus, its humanoid robot, which could one day be available for $20,000 to $30,000. Optimus, Musk believes, could take over many daily tasks, freeing up time and energy for humans.
A Growing Market, But at What Cost?
For all the futuristic vision, Tesla is facing headwinds in the present. Despite being the leader in the electric vehicle (EV) market, Tesla may see its first-ever drop in deliveries this year. Reuters has reported that Tesla’s recent price cuts have failed to attract enough new buyers, leading to squeezed profit margins and slower sales of its aging EV lineup.
The introduction of the Cybercab and robovan appears to be a pivot—a calculated bet on future technology to reignite interest and secure Tesla’s dominance.
However, the competition is fierce. Alphabet’s Waymo is currently the only U.S. company operating uncrewed robotaxis that collect fares, and others like Amazon’s Zoox are testing purpose-built autonomous vehicles. But these companies have also faced significant losses. The robotaxi market is proving tougher to crack than initially anticipated.
Still, Musk remains undeterred. His vision for Tesla transcends cars, expanding into a world where autonomy and AI reshape industries, from transport to labor.
“With Tesla’s approach, we can make transportation cheaper, faster, and more sustainable,” Musk declared, though he acknowledged that timelines could shift.
As with many of Musk’s announcements, there are those who remain unconvinced. Equity trader Dennis Dick, for instance, voiced his frustration.
“I’m a shareholder and pretty disappointed. I think the market wanted more definitive timelines,” he said.
Musk’s presentation, watched by nearly four million people on his X platform, lasted less than half an hour but left a long trail of questions. How quickly can Tesla overcome regulatory challenges? Can it truly bring down the cost of autonomy to such low levels? And will Tesla’s new focus on robotic vehicles pay off in a way that mass-market EVs have struggled to recently?
For now, the future Musk describes remains a glittering possibility, tantalizing in its scope but elusive in its execution. Tesla’s robotaxis, the Cybercab, the robovan, and even Optimus may be within reach, but whether they can meet the grand vision laid out by Musk will be a story told in the years ahead.