The Tesla Robotaxi – a near-mythical vehicle at this point – has been hinted at by the electric car manufacturer’s CEO, Elon Musk, for many years, and after numerous delays it finally appears to be ready for its big debut next month.
Originally, Musk had slated the Robotaxi for a 2020 release, although that target has been pushed back multiple times in the years since; however, a new report indicates that the futuristic ride-hailing vehicle will finally be revealed on October 10 at a dedicated event in Burbank, California, which is slated to be held at the Warner Bros. Discovery Movie Studio.
Currently, not much is known about the Robotaxi, but a few details have leaked recently. It will purportedly be built specifically as a taxi and will not simply utilize a re-purposed, existing vehicle model, and it will employ Tesla’s Autopilot and Full Self-Driving software systems. In fact, Musk claimed in 2022 that the Robotaxi – which he has also referred to as a “Cybercab” – will not even include a steering wheel or accelerator and brake pedals, conjuring images of the “Johnny Cab” vehicle from the 1990 Arnold Schwarzenegger science fiction flick Total Recall…minus the animatronic driver voiced by actor Robert Picardo, of course.
Reports also indicate that Tesla will be creating its own dedicated app for ride-hailing for what is being referred to as the upcoming “fleet” of Robotaxis; once the company’s Autopilot and Full Self-Driving software systems are also made available for consumer-grade Teslas, the app would be able to summon them to their drivers as well.
The Robotaxi’s unveiling was originally scheduled for August 8,but was postponed after a change in design was requested by Musk himself, reports say, in addition to extra time for prototype vehicles to be completed that will be shown at the event.
If Tesla does indeed debut the Robotaxi on October 10, be sure to come back here for a full report.
Christopher Boyle is an investigative journalist, videographer, reporter and writer for SEARCHEN NETWORKS® as well as other independent news and media organizations in the United States. Christopher works on a wide variety of topics and fields, has been featured in print and online in a variety of publications, from local to national, and helps keep a keen-eye on what’s happening in the automotive world for Auto Buyers Market.