Last week, Elon Musk announced that the Tesla Semi is finally ready for shipping later this December. This milestone thrilled many Tesla fans, but there is another reveal quite overriding for some: Tesla's robotaxi.
In a recent company event celebrating the delivery of its first batch of Tesla Semi trucks, the billionaire made fresh claims about Tesla's robotaxi and shared a meager glimpse of the auto manufacturer's next big thing.
Long Delays
Musk's latest major claim regarding the Tesla robotaxi was made during the company's first-quarter earnings call in April. The Tesla CEO indicated that robotaxis without a steering wheel or pedals will be mass-produced by 2024.
Musk stated that the goal is for a robotaxi ride to be less expensive than a subsidized public bus or subway fare. Musk stated in 2019 that the robotaxi would be available in 2020, which clearly never materialized.
Musk also noted that the goal of the robotaxi is to achieve the lowest cost per mile for a taxi-like vehicle. Regarding whether the robotaxi would be sold to the general public or used by Tesla for a special transportation service, Musk declined to elaborate.
During Tesla Autonomy Day 2019, Musk also promised customers that their cars were only a software update away from becoming robotaxis, which would earn them $30,000 in gross earnings per year.
Elon Musk stated in the same event that the company anticipates having operational robotaxis by 2020. In the same timeframe, he estimated that more than 1 million Teslas will be equipped with a "feature-complete" system that will be so reliable that users will not need to give heed.
Customers Outraged
It is already 2022, and the year is nearly through, with no trace of any Teslas working as a robotaxis. Furthermore, Bloomberg tells us that consumers who spent up to $15,000 for a Full Self-Driving Car (FSD) have yet to get the full experience because the fleet still requires drivers to be behind the wheel and ready to go manual at a moment's notice.
The same report points out that the California Department of Motor Vehicles accused the company of deceiving consumers about its FSD and Autopilot technologies in August. This was evidence that Tesla's inability to deliver on Musk's self-driving claims was catching up with him before last week's tease.
In September, a customer in the state filed a lawsuit against Tesla, accusing the company of misleading marketing and requesting class-action status so that other car owners might join him in court. It was also revealed in October that the US Justice Department and Securities and Exchange Commission were looking into Tesla's self-driving claims.
However, the firm does not see things the same way. "Mere failure to realize a long-term, aspirational goal is not fraud," Tesla stated in a motion to dismiss the California customer's complaint filed on Nov. 28.
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