A vehicle, or rather two. Which look like they came out of a video game: doors that open like wings, satin bodywork, goodbye steering wheel and pedals for Tesla’s new robotaxi. Instead, it has the appearance of a small tram, with doors that fold away and a comfortable internal lounge, the robovan, in fact a small minibus with up to twenty seats and large internal spaces, all in the name of absolute comfort. These are the means of transport of the future without driver presented on the Italian night by Elon Musk.
Several years have passed since the tycoon of South African origins announced for the first time the project to launch a mobility different from the traditional one, of the future precisely. A mobility that does not require a real driver, because in the near future – or at least this seems to be the path traced by Tesla – it will only be cars that will pay attention to safety and clock up the kilometres.
But let’s get to the substance: the two models Ys and Cybercab – this is their official name – will form a complete fleet of taxis owned by Tesla, which can be called thanks to an app, initially, in the necessary testing phase, only in California and Texas. Musk’s vehicles can then also be purchased by private citizens, who will have the opportunity to rent their car at any time.
For less than 30 thousand dollars
The production of robotaxi will not start before 2026 and the price should be competitive, according to the statements of MR. Tesla: cars will cost less than $ 30,000. It is unlikely to rely on timing, if only because over the last ten years Musk has accustomed us to making big proclamations which then turned out to be just big soap bubbles. But the benefit of doubt must always be left to it.
“Many complain about the high prices, including installments, insurance, parking, maintenance – said the entrepreneur on stage -. But think about it: how many hours do you use the car in a week? On average 10 hours, out of a total of 168. The the rest of the time, cars do nothing. Autonomous ones, on the other hand, can be used five or ten times more.
The taxi of the future, added Musk, “will become a comfortable sitting area, in which you can sleep, work, drink a drink: live”. But he also added a fact that could mean an epochal turning point: vans and taxis, in fact, should have an operating cost of 12 cents per kilometre, i.e. five times less than that of current local public transport.
One of the first test drive
Not only vehicles in the great Tesla event. Elon Musk has also also presented some of his Optimus humanoid robots, of which he actually knew very much. The ‘humanoids’ walked close to the audience and then performed dance moves inside a futuristic-looking gazebo. Optimus, in the idea of the Californian company, will be able to be in all respects a domestic assistant (and not only), capable of babysitting and taking care of the most common household chores: shopping, cleaning and tidying up, cutting the grass.
What Elon Musk’s robot assistant can do (and how).