New Delhi: Tesla has reportedly postponed its “robotaxi” event to October, according to Bloomberg News. The company initially planned to unveil the design on August 8 but now needs more time to finalize the prototypes. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and its shares dropped over 6% following the news.
In April, Tesla CEO Elon Musk first mentioned the robotaxi event. This coincided with a report stating the company was abandoning plans for a new vehicle on a next-generation platform that would cost around $25,000, which Musk later denied on his social media platform X.
All that matters is improving Tesla self-driving AI such that miles between interventions is >> human
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 7, 2024
Internally, Tesla had planned to develop both the dedicated robotaxi and the $25,000 car, often referred to by fans as the Model 2, on the same platform. However, Musk has leaned towards prioritizing the robotaxi, foregoing a new vehicle with a steering wheel and pedals.
Shortly after announcing the robotaxi event, Musk cut more than 10% of Tesla’s global workforce and stated the company was fully committed to autonomy. Musk has a history of making public announcements that catch his own employees off guard, requiring them to quickly adapt. For example, in February, he posted about the second-generation Tesla Roadster’s enhanced capabilities, surprising the Roadster development team, according to The Information. Similarly, the robotaxi event announcement came as a surprise to Tesla employees, according to a source familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
