Tesla, led by CEO Elon Musk, made headlines on Friday with the unveiling of its highly anticipated Cybercab, a fully autonomous vehicle priced under $30,000.
This innovative taxi promises to revolutionize urban transportation with an operating cost of approximately $0.20 per mile, significantly lower than traditional taxi services.
The team introduced the prototype during a robotaxi event titled ‘We, Robot’, held at Warner Bros Studios in Los Angeles.
Alongside the Cybercab, Tesla showcased an array of futuristic vehicles, including a new electric van dubbed the ‘Robovan’.
The Cybercab, resembling the iconic Cybertruck, is a purpose-built vehicle that engineers created exclusively for autonomous driving.
Notably, it lacks traditional controls like a steering wheel and pedals, featuring butterfly-wing doors and a compact cabin designed for two passengers.
Instead of a conventional plug-in charger, the Cybercab utilizes ‘inductive charging’, offering a wireless solution for powering the vehicle.
Musk emphasized the safety of autonomous vehicles, claiming that Tesla’s technology could make their cars 10 to 20 times safer than conventional vehicles.
“This is a significant leap in transportation safety,” Musk stated, highlighting the transformative potential of self-driving technology.
Tesla Plans Fully Autonomous Operations In Texas & California By 2026
In addition to the Cybercab, Tesla introduced the Robovan, which can be tailored for either mass transit or cargo transport, reinforcing Musk’s vision that ‘the future is autonomous’.
The company aims to initiate fully autonomous driving operations in Texas and California next year, with production of the Cybercab slated for 2026.
Musk also highlighted that the development team is creating the Optimus robot, expected to retail between $20,000 and $30,000, to handle various tasks.
Musk further remarked, “This is a very big deal. It’ll save lives, a lot of lives, and prevent injuries.”
Reflecting on the impact of autonomous technology on daily life, Musk shared, “Think about the cumulative time that people spend in a car and the time they will get back that they can now spend on their books or watching a movie or doing work or whatever.”
Tesla’s ambitions for unsupervised full self-driving (FSD) capabilities are likely to take flight next year in select markets, including the rollout with the Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, promising to change the landscape of personal and shared transportation in the years to come.
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