Tech
Tesla Is Unveiling Its Long-Awaited Robotaxi Amid Doubts About The Technology It Runs On
DETROIT — The long-awaited introduction of Tesla’s robotaxi at a Hollywood studio on Thursday night has sparked great expectations. Some analysts and investors believe the price is too high.
The business, which began selling software named “Full Self-Driving” nine years ago but still cannot drive itself, is set to demonstrate the so-called “Cybercab” car, which may lack a steering wheel and pedals.
The announcement comes as CEO Elon Musk attempts to persuade investors that his firm is more about artificial intelligence and robotics, despite struggling to sell its primary goods, an old range of electric vehicles.
Tesla Is Unveiling Its Long-Awaited Robotaxi Amid Doubts About The Technology It Runs On
Some observers anticipate that today will be a momentous day for the Austin, Texas-based startup, as it takes a significant step toward a long-awaited robotaxi service driven by AI.
Others who monitor self-driving cars believe Musk has yet to demonstrate that Tesla’s technology can travel safely without a human driver to intervene to avert accidents.
“I don’t know why the headlines continue to be ‘What will Tesla announce?’ rather than ‘Why does Tesla think we’re so stupid?'” said Bryant Walker Smith, a law professor at the University of South Carolina who specializes in autonomous vehicles.
He does not believe Tesla has the ability to demonstrate software and hardware that can operate without human supervision, even in a small area known as the driving system.
“We just haven’t seen any indication that that is what Tesla is working toward,” Walker Smith told me. “If they were, they would be showcasing this not on a closed lot, but in an actual city or on an actual freeway.”
Without a demonstrable advance in autonomous technology, Tesla will simply demonstrate a vehicle without pedals or a steering wheel, as many other firms have done, he said.
“The challenge is developing a combination of hardware and software plus the human and digital infrastructure to actually safely drive a vehicle even without a steering wheel on public roads in any conditions,” Walker Smith told Reuters. “Tesla has been giving us that demo every year, and it’s not reassuring us.”
Many industry analysts don’t expect much from the event either. While TD Cowen’s Jeff Osborne expects Musk to unveil the Cybercab and possibly the Model 2, a lower-cost electric vehicle, he does not see significant development in self-driving technology.
“We expect the event to be light on details and appeal to the true long-term believers in Tesla,” Osborne wrote in a note. Musk’s assertions about the availability of Full Self Driving, however, will be critical “given past delays and ongoing scrutiny” of the technology and Tesla’s less advanced Autopilot driver-assist software.
Tesla’s model selection is underperforming and is unlikely to be revamped until at least late next year, according to Osborne. Furthermore, he said that TD Cowen believes the “politicization of Elon” is hurting the Tesla brand among Democratic purchasers in the United States.
Musk has praised Republican presidential contender Donald Trump and supported other conservative initiatives. Last weekend, he joined Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania.
Musk has claimed for more than five years that a network of robotaxis is on its way, allowing Tesla owners to profit by having their cars transport passengers when they are not in use.
However, he has admitted that previous estimates for the adoption of autonomous driving were overly optimistic. In 2019, he projected a fleet of self-driving cars by the end of 2020.
However, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives, who is optimistic about Tesla stock, noted in an investor note that the company’s robotaxi event, called “We, Robot,” will mark a new chapter in Tesla’s growth.
Ives anticipates that Tesla will release more updates and specifics about the robotaxi, as well as improvements in Full Self Driving and artificial intelligence. He also wants a phased-in strategy for launching the robotaxis over the next year, as well as a Tesla ride-sharing app and demonstrations of technologies “designed to revolutionize urban transportation.”
Ives, whose team will attend the invitation-only event at Warner Bros. Studios, stated that he expected updates on Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot, which the company intends to sell in 2026.
“We believe this is a pivotal time for Tesla as the company prepares to release its years of Robotaxi R&D shadowed behind the curtains, while Musk & Co. lay out the company’s vision for the future,” according to Ives.
Tesla Is Unveiling Its Long-Awaited Robotaxi Amid Doubts About The Technology It Runs On
The disclosure comes as US safety officials are looking into Full Self Driving and Autopilot, citing evidence that they have a weak system for ensuring human drivers pay attention.
Furthermore, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ordered Tesla to recall Full Self-Driving in February because it permitted speeding and violated other traffic laws, particularly near intersections. Tesla planned to fix the concerns through an online software upgrade.
A motorcyclist was hit and killed by a Tesla employing Full Self-Driving in Snohomish County, Washington, near Seattle, in April, according to officials. The Tesla driver informed police that he was using the system and looking at his phone when the automobile rear-ended the motorcycle. Authorities reported that the motorcyclist was pronounced deceased on the site.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it is reviewing information from Tesla and law enforcement regarding the deadly crash.
SOURCE | AP
