Elon Musk announced that Tesla has postponed the introduction of the expected robotaxi prototype. The launch, which was previously planned for August 8, was postponed due to some design changes. Musk stated that a few new things other than robotaxi will be shown at this event.
Tesla robotaxi launch date postponed to October 10
Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated in the second quarter earnings call that significant changes were needed in the design of the robotaxi prototype. “Delaying it a few months allowed us to make improvements to the robotaxi and add a few more things to promote the product,” Musk said. It is stated that these changes include a significant design change in the front part of the robotaxi.
Tesla robotaxi and fully autonomous driving software play a central role in the company’s future. Earlier this year, Musk laid off more than 10% of Tesla’s global staff, launching a restructuring focused on the development of AI-focused products. However, this autonomous future for Tesla conflicts with the company’s core profit center from electric vehicle sales.
Tesla reported a profit of $1.5 billion in the second quarter, but that figure was down 45% from the same period last year. While the company’s total revenues increased by 2% on an annual basis, automotive revenues decreased by 7% to $19.9 billion. It is also stated that Tesla faces the possibility of selling fewer electric vehicles this year than in 2023.
Musk emphasized that Tesla’s long-term value is based on autonomy. This includes the company’s humanoid robot project, Optimus, but is primarily centered around autonomous vehicles, which Musk has been working on for years and has yet to fully realize.
Musk said Tesla could offer its first unsupervised robotaxi ride by the end of this year, but added that this target could also slide to 2025 and admitted that he was overly optimistic in his predictions.
October 10, the new date set for the Tesla robotaxi launch, will provide a great opportunity to see the developments and other surprises in the company’s autonomous driving technology. Tesla’s future will be shaped by the innovations that will be demonstrated in this promotion.
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