Just when it seemed like Elon Musk had achieved the impossible after his SpaceX caught a booster rocket, we now have the a fully self-driving cab without a driver, a pedal, a steering wheel, or any other sort of manual intervention. Tesla’s much-anticipated Cybercab was unveiled in California, offering a preview of what could be the future of urban transport.The event, held at Warner Bros. Discovery studios, featured the self-driving vehicle navigating an artificial city environment, specially designed for the showcase. Although the Cybercab is not yet ready for public roads, its reveal sparked excitement and raised questions about the future of autonomous technology.
Tesla Robotaxi Ride-Along (Unedited)
The Cybercab’s design immediately stands out, with its sleek, pod-like shape and futuristic butterfly doors that open upward. The interior, completely devoid of traditional controls like a steering wheel or pedals, feels like something straight out of a science fiction film. Its spacious, minimalist cabin is controlled through a touchscreen interface, further enhancing its futuristic appeal.
Despite its sci-fi aesthetic, there are practical concerns about how the vehicle will handle the unpredictability of real-world driving. In the controlled environment of the studio, the Cybercab moved effortlessly, gliding through streets that mimicked a real city.
However, it’s unclear how well the vehicle would perform in a more chaotic setting with unexpected obstacles such as pedestrians or cyclists.
During the demonstration, the Cybercab did show signs of situational awareness, stopping instantly when someone stepped into its path, indicating that it can detect and respond to its surroundings. This suggests that Tesla has made significant progress toward achieving full autonomy, though there is still a long way to go before such vehicles are ready for widespread use.
While the potential benefits of autonomous vehicles are clear, including reduced human error and greater accessibility for those unable to drive, concerns remain. Questions about how these vehicles will handle complex, split-second decisions in real-world scenarios persist. Additionally, the ethical and safety implications of allowing machines to take full control of the driving process are still being debated.
Tesla’s Cybercab represents a bold step towards the future of transportation. While it offers a glimpse of what might be possible, there are still many challenges—both technical and societal—that must be addressed before fully autonomous vehicles become a part of everyday life. For now, the Cybercab serves as a compelling vision of a future where mobility is redefined, but its role in that future remains to be determined.
When can we expect the Robotaxi Network?
Tasha Keeney, ARK Invest’s Director of Investment Analysis & Institutional Strategies, has suggested that Tesla’s Robotaxi Network could launch as early as 2025 or 2026. Keeney believes that Tesla might not need to wait for the Cybercab to roll out its Robotaxi Network.
Both Keeney and Cathie Wood, ARK Invest’s CEO, attended Tesla’s “We, Robot” event on 10th October, where they waited to ride in the newly revealed Tesla Cybercab, which is intended to be central to the Robotaxi Network.
However, Keeney and her colleagues at ARK Invest are of the view that Tesla could launch the network without the Cybercab. She argued that Tesla already possesses a fleet of vehicles equipped with Hardware 3 and 4, which could achieve full autonomy via over-the-air software updates.
Even if Tesla opts to wait until the Cybercab is ready for fully autonomous rides, ARK Invest has suggested that the company could still introduce the Robotaxi Network using human drivers. In 2020, ARK Invest released an article explaining why it would be advantageous for Tesla to launch the network with human drivers first.
ARK argued that a ride-hailing network would boost Tesla’s profitability before the robotaxi service becomes operational. Furthermore, they suggested that launching the robotaxi service would not require significant engineering resources, aside from crucial tasks such as routing, payment integration, and other necessary functions.
ARK also noted that a vertically integrated ride-hailing service using highly efficient electric vehicles would increase the proportion of miles driven on electric platforms, furthering