Tesla's robotaxi presentation delayed until October

Tesla is reportedly delaying the highly anticipated reveal of its fully autonomous robotaxi until October. Initially scheduled for August 8th, the event has been pushed back in order to provide Tesla's engineering team with more time to develop and test prototypes. Although the delay has been communicated internally to Tesla employees, it has yet to be officially announced. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has previously emphasized that the company should be perceived as an AI and robotics company rather than just an automaker, reflecting his vision for the future of transportation. This is prepared by SSP.

Musk has long talked about the possibility of Tesla owners earning money by deploying their autonomous vehicles to pick up and drop off passengers, envisioning a Tesla-based ride-hailing service. However, many of his predictions regarding fully autonomous driving have yet to be realized. Currently, Tesla's Autopilot and Full Self-Driving systems still require drivers to pay attention to the road and be prepared to take control if necessary. Drivers are also held liable for any collisions that occur when the driver-assist features are engaged, leading to ongoing legal challenges for Tesla.

In contrast, other companies such as Waymo have already deployed fully autonomous robotaxis in various cities across the United States. Tesla's earnings report mentioned that the robotaxi will be "purpose-built," a term commonly used in the autonomous vehicle industry to describe vehicles specifically designed to operate without traditional controls like steering wheels and pedals.