Tesla expected to delay self-driving robotaxi plans despite promise to launch new cars this summer
Tesla will reportedly push back robotaxi launch until October
REUTERS
Tesla is reportedly delaying the highly anticipated rollout of its self-driving car robotaxi scheme which was planned to be unveiled this summer.
The robotaxi project has now been pushed from August to October to allow more work on the design of the vehicle, according to reports.
Tesla was originally supposed to launch its new project on August 8 with the company doubling down on self-driving technology.
Bloomberg reported that the move would see the car maker shift away from its previous ambitions to create a “low-cost family car”.
Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailingmotoring@gbnews.uk
Tesla have revealed very few details about the robotaxi project
TESLABryant Walker Smith, a law professor at the University of South Carolina, told Reuters: "Tesla has been playing this game for nearly a decade of promising 'next year, next year'.
“I've seen no indication that Tesla ... is on track for a meaningful deployment of the kind of automated driving system that Tesla has consistently promised.”
Aside from the proposed date for the self-driving robotaxis, Tesla has kept details of the project well hidden from potential consumers.
Jamie Meyers, senior analyst at Laffer Tengler Investments, explained that the delay by Tesla seemed like a “quick pivot”.
He said: “I'm not surprised by the delay at all. In the grand scheme of things, two months don't change the picture. I actually think it's a good thing that Elon and company are getting their ducks in a row to do this launch right."
Tesla owner Elon Musk has been shifting the focus of the company for some time, moving away from electric vehicles and moving towardsartificial intelligence and autonomous driving software.
In the company's first-quarter earnings conference call at the start of the year, Musk detailed how Tesla would introduce "new models" as early as 2025.
During the call, he expressed his ambition to advance Tesla into the AI field, backed by humanoid robots - a technology which the brand is still developing,
The car brand recently planned to update its software on existing models to include a parental control feature.
The feature allows drivers to limit their speed and offers other safety features for young drivers of the car. The “night curfew” feature would also alert parents if the car is being used at night or at certain times of the day.
The need for more autonomous vehicles came when the UK passed its Automated Vehicles Bill, which looks to regulate the industry and could lead to self-driving vehicles hitting UK roads as early as 2026.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Tesla is still believed to be working on a low-cost electric vehicle
PAThe roll out of automated vehicles is expected to improve road safety by reducing human error, which contributes to 88 per cent of road collisions.