Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has stated that the business intends to release a robotaxi without a steering wheel or pedals by 2024. The news comes after the world’s largest electric-vehicle manufacturer reported a healthy net profit of US $3.3 billion in the March quarter.
Quarterly sales were $18.8 billion, exceeding expectations of $17.9 billion and up 81% year on year. Earnings per share were $2.86, compared to projections of $2.27, and adjusted earnings per share were $3.22. Musk claims that the driverless ridesharing service will cost the same as a subsidized metro ticket. Though it remains to be seen how cheaply he can sell the robotaxi, given Tesla’s reputation for selling pricey electric vehicles.
‘It’s essentially optimized for attempting to get the lowest fully evaluated cost per mile, cost per kilometre, accounting for everything,’ Musk said, according to Business Insider. ‘I believe that will be a significant driver of Tesla’s growth’. Musk stated that Tesla Robotaxi will have a ‘lot of additional breakthroughs,’ although he did not elaborate on how creative they will be.
Musk originally announced the robotaxi earlier this month during the inauguration of Tesla’s Austin gigafactory, when he detailed a number of upcoming goods, including Optimus, Tesla’s humanoid robot idea. The 50-year-old stated that these ‘futuristic items’ will signal Tesla’s exit from its passenger vehicle industry, which now accounts for the majority of its income. ‘Ultimately, Optimus will be worth more than the automotive company, worth more than FSD,’ he said.
Tesla has been hampered by supply-chain concerns, with its plants operating at less than full capacity for several quarters. An increase in COVID-19 cases in China has hampered Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory, which was responsible for half of the company’s global output last year. However, once the local authorities agreed to relax some of the limitations, a gradual resumption of manufacturing commenced.
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