Tesla reveals driverless robotaxi and robovan, signaling the future of autonomous travel
In a bold leap into the future of transportation, Elon Musk revealed Tesla’s highly anticipated robotaxi and robovan during a spectacular event titled “We, Robot” at Warner Bros. Studios in Los Angeles. The electric vehicle giant’s focus has now shifted from mass-market cars to cutting-edge robotics and artificial intelligence.
Musk arrived on stage in a sleek “Cybercab,” featuring two eye-catching gull-wing doors, no steering wheel, and no pedals, marking Tesla’s dramatic entry into the autonomous vehicle market. The robotaxi, which Musk says will be priced under $30,000, is set to go into production in 2026.
Designed to run entirely on artificial intelligence and camera systems, these autonomous vehicles promise a significant reduction in operating costs—Musk claims the Cybercab will cost just 20 cents per mile to run. Notably, the cars will use inductive charging, eliminating the need for plugs.
While Tesla’s competitors in the robotaxi industry have opted for additional hardware such as LiDAR, Musk remains confident in Tesla’s more streamlined approach, which he admits presents technical and regulatory challenges. “The autonomous future is here,” Musk declared. “We have 50 fully autonomous vehicles here tonight, including Model Ys and the Cybercab. All are driverless.”
In addition to the robotaxi, Musk unveiled the Robovan—a larger, self-driving vehicle capable of transporting up to 20 passengers. This marks a significant expansion of Tesla’s ambitions in the transportation sector, moving beyond individual vehicles to autonomous mass transit.
Thursday’s event also showcased Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot, reinforcing Musk’s vision of Tesla as more than just an automaker. “We should be thought of as an AI robotics company,” Musk stated, echoing the theme of the event.
Musk’s ultimate plan is to operate a fleet of self-driving Tesla taxis, which users can hail through an app. Tesla owners will also have the opportunity to list their own vehicles as robotaxis, creating a network of autonomous cars on demand.
The event’s title, “We, Robot,” was a nod to Isaac Asimov’s famous “I, Robot” science-fiction stories, underscoring Musk’s insistence that AI and robotics are the future not just for Tesla, but for the world of transportation at large.