California – Tesla CEO Elon Musk has unveiled Tesla’s newest product the Robotaxi, a completely self-driving vehicle Musk says will change the way people move around. In a keynote speech at Warner Bros. Studios in Los Angeles, Musk said that the future of travel is exciting and possible.
The Robotaxi, a two-seat car without steering wheel or pedals, will be available by 2026 for under $30,000, Musk says. Tesla’s Robotaxi vision is to bring mass-market driving with an unmitigatedly self-driving system.
“As you can see, I just arrived in Robotaxi, the Cybercab,” Musk said as he stepped out of one of the vehicles in front of a live audience. “You see a lot of sci-fi movies where the future is dark and dismal, where it’s not a future you want to be in… We want to have a fun, exciting future that if you could look in a crystal ball and see the future, you’d be like, yes, I wish I could be there now. That’s what we want.”
The Robotaxi is part of Tesla’s wider campaign to revolutionise cities and their inhabitants. “We’re trying to give you a sense of what cities will be like in the future,” Musk said. “Now can you imagine going down the streets and you see this coming towards you? That would be sick. So this can carry up to 20 people and it can also transport goods.”
Although the 20-person capacity mentioned in Musk’s presentation makes it sound like a multi-purpose solution, Robotaxi is built as a small, effective rideshare vehicle. Musk also pointed out that a driverless car without a steering wheel or pedals will be a truly exhilarating experience.
“And, when you get in, you’ll see, like, it’s really quite a wild experience to just be in a car with no steering wheel, no pedals, no controls. And it feels great,” Musk said.
Besides the Robotaxi, Musk also hinted at a self-driving Robovan, though with fewer details. The Robovan should follow the Robotaxi’s example, continuing Tesla’s dream of self-driving cars.
And with this announcement, Tesla remains the frontrunner in autonomous vehicle development and lays down a new standard for the way transport might come into being. With autonomous vehicles on the verge of reality, Musk’s “glorious future” appears just around the corner.
For more details, please refer to Tesla’s website.
