Is THIS what Tesla’s Robotaxi will look like? Elon Musk’s long-awaited driverless vehicle could feature NO steering wheel or pedals – and take passengers on Uber-style trips for ‘less money than a bus ticket’
After years of teasing, Tesla is finally about to pull back the curtain on one of its quirkiest products yet.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk will unveil the ‘Robotaxi’ at an event in Los Angeles on Thursday (October 10).
Dubbed “Cybercab,” the taxi is expected to be fully self-driving – with no steering wheel or pedals – and offer a new Tesla-managed ride-hailing service.
Ahead of the official reveal, ChatGPT has provided a glimpse of what Tesla’s Robotaxi could look like.
The artistic impression of the chatbot consists of two seats for passengers, a silver-colored steel housing and a camera on the roof to observe the environment.
According to ChatGPT, which has provided an artist’s rendering based on available information, Robotaxi will have two seats for passengers and a camera on top
Tesla’s promotional image for the event shows a close-up of a digital camera lens that resembles an eye – possibly the eye of a robot or an artificial intelligence (AI) system
Billionaire Musk already confirmed the unveiling event on Thursday, which is called ‘We Robot’, probably a reference to the movie ‘I Robot’.
On X, he posted an image of the official invitation to the event with the caption: ‘This will be one for the history books.’
Tesla’s image shows a close-up of a digital camera lens that resembles an eye – possibly the eye of a robot or AI system, and a hint at the vehicle’s traffic sensing capabilities.
Commentators have done that compared it after one of the most famous AIs in film history – the evil HAL from Stanley Kubrick’s ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’.
While the exact name of the upcoming vehicle has yet to be confirmed, Musk has referred to it as ‘Cybercab’, suggesting it could be similar in appearance to Tesla’s Cybertruck.
There’s no official word on how much it would cost, but it could be comparable to Cybertruck, which retails for around $80,000 (£60,000) or more.
Musk’s concept of a Robotaxi, mooted almost a decade ago, is a self-driving vehicle and an alternative to the manned taxis that line the streets of the world.
Passengers can request a Robotaxi ride via an app, similar to Uber or Lyft, and be transported from A to B without having to communicate with a driver – because there is none.
Tesla’s promo image shows a close-up of a digital camera lens that resembles an eye and has been compared to one of the most famous AIs in cinematic history: the evil HAL from Stanley Kubrick’s ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’
Musk’s concept of a Robotaxi, mooted almost a decade ago, is a self-driving vehicle and an alternative to the manned taxis that ply the streets of the world
The Robotaxi owner, meanwhile, could send their vehicle to make the journey, rather than having to get into the vehicle and drive it themselves, with the tap of an app.
Theoretically, people could buy multiple Tesla Robotaxis and send them all out at the same time to perform different journeys – making money from the comfort of their own armchair.
Musk previously tweeted: “Much more productive managing a fleet of Robotaxis than just driving one taxi yourself.”
For the passenger, trips could cost less than a bus ticket, according to Musk, while the money would largely go to Robotaxi’s owner (Tesla would get a certain percentage of any compensation).
But beyond the potential for taxi drivers to go out of business, Robotaxi’s lack of human drivers could be concerning for customers.
The exact name is yet to be confirmed, but Musk has referred to it as ‘Cybercab’, suggesting it could be similar in appearance to Tesla’s Cybertruck (pictured)
For Tesla, the ultimate quest is the full self-driving capability of its vehicles – known in the industry as Level 5 autonomy.
Currently, Tesla vehicles have intelligent autonomous features that support a human driver, but they are still a long way from being able to hit the road without someone behind the wheel.
Possibly the We Robot event could herald a breakthrough that brings us closer to Level 5, allowing Robotaxi to actually be used.
However, Tesla would also need approval from regulators in states and countries to get its Robotaxi vision up and running.
What we know about Robotaxi comes from rumors and information from Elon Musk, who has teased the vehicle over the years.
In April 2022, he revealed that he hoped to begin mass production of the Robotaxi in 2024 – although this time frame may have been pushed back.
He said at the time: “We are also working on a new vehicle that I alluded to at the opening of Giga Texas, a special Robotaxi.
“It will be highly optimized for autonomy, which means it will have no steering wheel or pedals.
Elon Musk said the unveiling event – designed to showcase the Robotaxi – will be ‘one for the history books’
Theoretically, people could buy multiple Tesla Robotaxis and send them all out to perform different rides at the same time
“Looking at some of our forecasts, it looks like a robotaxi ride will cost less than a bus ticket, a subsidized bus ticket or a subsidized metro ticket.”
Musk also teased “a number of other innovations” in the new vehicle that he said are “pretty exciting,” but gave no further details.
However, it’s worth bearing in mind that Tesla’s Cybertruck became available to customers in November last year – almost four years after its initial unveiling.
The $80,000 Cybertruck is an ultra-resilient, all-electric pickup truck covered in stainless steel, although it faces safety and performance complaints from buyers.
Tesla has already announced but not yet released other products, including the heavy-duty Semi truck, the Cyberquad quad and the Optimus robot.