LOS ANGELES, CA. Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled the company’s latest innovation, the “Cybercab,” during a presentation at the Warner Bros. studio lot in Hollywood. The autonomous robotaxi, which lacks traditional steering wheels and pedals, marks Tesla’s bold step toward a fully driverless future. However, enthusiasts will have to wait until at least 2026 to see these vehicles on the road.
During the event, Musk highlighted the advancements in Tesla’s autonomous driving technology, known as “Full Self-Driving” (FSD), which has been available for purchase since 2015. The technology allows for limited autonomous driving, but the move toward unsupervised operation—where passengers can “fall asleep and wake up at [their] destination,” as Musk described—remains under scrutiny.
“We’ll move from supervised Full Self-Driving to unsupervised Full Self-Driving, where you can fall asleep and wake up at your destination. It’s going to be a glorious future,” Musk assured the crowd.
Tesla estimates that the Cybercab will be priced under $30,000, with availability projected for 2026, although Musk humorously added, “before 2027.” The company also plans to roll out the FSD technology for its popular Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in California and Texas by 2025.
Skepticism and Industry Competition
Despite Musk’s optimistic projections, skepticism surrounding Tesla’s ability to deliver fully autonomous vehicles persists. Seth Goldstein, equity strategist at Morningstar Research, commented on the importance of proving FSD’s reliability: “If they’re going to eventually get to robotaxis, they first need to have success with the unsupervised FSD at the current lineup. Tonight’s event showed that they’re ready to take that step forward.”
However, some industry experts remain unconvinced. Bryant Walker Smith, a professor at the University of South Carolina who specializes in automated vehicles, remarked, “Tesla yet again claimed it is a year or two away from actual automated driving — just as the company has been claiming for a decade. Now there are real AVs [autonomous vehicles] carrying real people on real roads, but none of those vehicles are Teslas. Tonight did not change this reality; it only made the irony more glaring.”
Shares of Tesla Inc. dropped 9% following the unveiling, with some investors concerned about the company’s slow progress in comparison to rivals. Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo and General Motors’ Cruise are already operating autonomous vehicles in several locations, including Phoenix and San Francisco. Meanwhile, Aurora Innovation plans to deploy fully autonomous semi-trucks in Texas by the end of this year, with Gatik following suit by 2025.
Tesla’s Challenges and Expanding AI Focus
Tesla’s journey toward achieving autonomous driving has not been without setbacks. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) forced the company to recall its Full Self-Driving software in February after concerns were raised about its compliance with traffic laws. Additionally, the Justice Department is seeking information from Tesla regarding the safety of its Autopilot and FSD systems.
One tragic incident occurred last April in Snohomish County, Washington, when a Tesla operating in FSD mode hit and killed a motorcyclist. The Tesla driver admitted to using the system while looking at their phone. NHTSA is currently investigating the crash.
Despite these challenges, Musk remains focused on positioning Tesla as a leader in AI and robotics. At the event, Tesla also introduced its Optimus humanoid robots, which performed a brief demonstration for attendees. Musk claimed these robots, which are expected to cost between $28,000 and $30,000, could perform tasks like babysitting, mowing lawns, and grocery shopping.
“Whatever you can think of, it will do,” Musk said.
The unveiling of the Cybercab and Optimus robots underscores Tesla’s ambition to expand beyond electric vehicles and cement its place in the AI and robotics industry. However, with mounting pressure from competitors and ongoing investigations into its autonomous driving systems, the road ahead remains uncertain for Musk’s futuristic vision.
Carlo Juancho FuntanillaFrontend Developer, WordPress, Shopify
Contributing Editor
AMA ACLC San Pablo
