We’ve been listening to about Tesla’s robotaxi program for months, however we now have a reported date for the automobile’s unveiling. Automotive Information’ sources mentioned the automaker would reveal the automobile at Warner Bros. Discovery’s facility close to Los Angeles on October 10.
Tesla doesn’t have a public relations division, and CEO Elon Musk hasn’t responded to remark requests, in order that date is unconfirmed as of but. He beforehand talked about the October 10 date, however the location was not revealed at the moment. The automaker delayed its initially deliberate August 8 occasion, making the October date extra plausible. Musk requested design modifications that required extra growth time earlier than a reveal.
The corporate moved its headquarters to Texas, the place it has been holding launch occasions in latest occasions, however the location of this occasion on a California film lot might assist with this reveal. The film set, situated in Burbank, homes a simulated neighborhood with fastidiously mapped streets and an nearly real-life look.
Tesla might use the placement to reveal the brand new taxis with out fear about basic visitors, and the compact location makes it simpler to map routes within the autos’ software program. It’s price mentioning that different firms, comparable to GM’s Cruise and Alphabet’s Waymo, conduct pre-mapped testing, however their routes are on public roads with different autos and pedestrians.
We don’t know a lot else about Tesla’s robotaxi ambitions. The corporate has not detailed whether or not current homeowners’ autos may very well be used with the service, nor do we all know how or when real-world testing may begin. We’ll possible be taught extra on the October occasion, as Tesla has so much using on this system, and buyers will need to hear some reassurance that Musk’s ambitions are aimed in the correct course.
Earlier this 12 months, studies surfaced that the automaker had scrapped its inexpensive EV program to concentrate on robotaxis, although Musk refuted the claims, calling them “pretend information.” The report ruffled feathers, as Tesla had lengthy pursued extra inexpensive autos, and Chinese language automakers gained appreciable floor on the corporate, outpacing its gross sales in some areas.