Elon Musk has returned to the spotlight with the unveiling of the Tesla Cybercab, an autonomous robotaxi (Cybercab) that promises to revolutionize urban mobility. With a futuristic design and the promise of operating completely autonomously, the Cybercab is positioned as an economical and efficient solution for individual transportation, with an estimated cost of less than $ 30,000, according to the owner of Tesla. This ambitious project is part of Musk's vision of mass, autonomous mobility, which could fundamentally change how we get around cities. Musk's approach is to create a kind of autonomous cab farm, with entrepreneurs “shepherding” the vehicles from home.
At the launch event, held at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California, Musk arrived aboard a Cybercab, noting that the model has no steering wheel or pedals. Instead, the vehicle relies exclusively on cameras and artificial intelligence for its operation. Musk mentioned that mass production of the Cybercab would begin in 2026, although he acknowledged that the launch could be delayed until 2027 due to the complexity of developing autonomous technology and the need to comply with strict regulations.
The future will be streamed live
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- Tesla (@Tesla) October 9, 2024
The Cybercab's initial price point surprised everyone. The sub-$30,000 vehicle makes this technology affordable compared to other autonomous and electric vehicles and even raises the possibility that this car is below market price and is an approximation and ends up raising the price.
But Musk's announcement seeks to attract both transportation companies and private users since, according to the owner of X, the operating cost would be very low, estimated at around 20 cents per mile traveled.
Mobility
The Cybercab is part of Musk's vision to create a fleet of fully autonomous cabs that can be hailed through a mobile app. In addition, under Tesla's plans, vehicle owners would be able to add their cars to the robotaxi fleet when they don't need them, generating additional revenue, while Tesla takes a cut of those profits. This model combines elements of the Uber and Airbnb business, allowing owners to monetize their assets when they are not using them.
One of the most notable technical aspects of the Cybercab is that it relies exclusively on cameras and advanced artificial intelligence software to drive, without using LiDAR sensors, which are common in other autonomous vehicles. Tesla is betting on its “Tesla Vision” system, which Musk says has the potential to make cars ten times safer than those driven by humans. However, the safety of Tesla vehicles has been the subject of controversy in the past due to incidents involving its self-driving system, trained to bypass some traffic rules.
The presentation also included the display of the Robovan, a futuristic van with capacity for up to 20 people, intended for collective transport or commercial use. This vehicle could be used in various applications, from school transportation to tourism, adapting to different urban mobility needs. With this, Tesla seeks to cover a wide range of needs, betting on intelligent and sustainable mobility.
Doubts
However, despite the enthusiasm and the staging, many doubts persist about the feasibility and viability of the project. Industry analysts point out that full autonomy, necessary for Cybercabs to operate without a driver, remains a significant challenge. Tesla's artificial intelligence technology and vision systems must overcome major hurdles, both technical and regulatory.
In addition, the Cybercab's success will also depend on its acceptance by the public. The idea of traveling in a vehicle without a steering wheel or pedals, without the ability to take control in case of an emergency, could generate resistance among users. Although Musk assures that autonomous vehicles will be significantly safer than those driven by humans, many consumers still have reservations about completely ceding driving control to a machine.
Optimus on stage
What surprised friends and strangers alike was the Tesla Bot: Optimus. The humanoid robot walked and danced through the audience, played rock-paper-scissors and even demonstrated that it can serve drinks. Quite a letter of introduction for a robot that proves it can do everything like a human. If you have read Mockingbird by Walter Tevis, we are getting dangerously close to the future he imagined back in 1980.
Tesla aspires to draw a more technological world with robots serving humans in their homes. Musk has compared them to C3PO and R2D2, the androids from Star Wars. His army of humanoids walked in before all eyes and ended up dancing and giving away bags. “I think this will be the greatest product ever created of any kind,” the mogul has said.