After years of failed promises regarding driverless vehicles, Tesla CEO Elon Musk introduced the company’s latest concept, the Cybercab, at the “We, Robot” event. The low-slung, silver two-seater featured no steering wheels or pedals, showcasing Tesla’s vision for autonomous transportation. Musk revealed that the company had 21 Cybercabs and a total of 50 autonomous cars on-site for the event, held at Warner Bros. studio in Burbank, California. He stated that the Cybercab would be priced below $30,000 and hoped to begin production before 2027.
Musk also announced plans for an autonomous, electric Robovan capable of carrying up to 20 passengers or transporting goods. The Robovan would utilize inductive charging, allowing it to roll up to a charging station for recharging without the need for plugging in. The vehicles were designed to solve issues related to high-density transportation, such as transporting a sports team. Musk expressed confidence in Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system, stating that he expected unsupervised FSD to be operational in Texas and California next year for the Model 3 and Model Y electric vehicles.
Despite past missed deadlines and unfulfilled promises regarding autonomous vehicles, Musk remained optimistic about Tesla’s future in the self-driving market. He has previously set, and failed to meet, ambitious goals for full autonomy, including the claim that Tesla cars would achieve full autonomy within three years in 2015. Musk’s vision for a fleet of 1 million robotaxi-ready vehicles on the road in 2020 also did not materialize. However, he continued to assert Tesla’s commitment to solving autonomy and encouraged investors who doubt Tesla’s ability to achieve this goal to reconsider their investment in the company.
The event showcasing the Cybercab and Robovan marked Tesla’s first product unveiling since the introduction of the Cybertruck design in 2019. The angular steel pickup truck faced delays before beginning shipping to customers in late 2023, and has since been the subject of multiple voluntary recalls in the United States. Attendees at the “We, Robot” event were invited to take test rides in the autonomous vehicles on display at the Warner Bros. studio lots, and Musk revealed that the humanoid robot, Optimus, currently in development, would be serving drinks to attendees at the bar. Musk ended the presentation with a call to “party” and a livestream showing a group of Optimus robots dancing to club hits.
In conclusion, Elon Musk’s unveiling of the Cybercab and Robovan at the “We, Robot” event highlighted Tesla’s continued commitment to autonomous transportation. Despite past setbacks and unmet deadlines, Musk expressed confidence in Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system and the company’s ability to bring autonomous vehicles to market. The event showcased Tesla’s latest innovations in electric, autonomous vehicles, setting the stage for a new era of transportation technology.
