By Abhirup Roy and Akash Sriram
(Reuters) – Tesla CEO Elon Musk showcased on Thursday a long-awaited robotaxi with two gull-wing doors and no steering wheel or pedals and surprised with robovan, betting on a shift in focus from low-priced mass-market cars to robotic vehicles.
At a glitzy unveiling, Musk reached the stage in a “Cybercab” to be produced from 2026 – eventually in high volume – and priced under $30,000. He then introduced the robovan which can carry up to 20 people though offered few further details.
But Musk, who has a record of missing projections – and himself said he tended to be optimistic with time frames – did not say how quickly Tesla could ramp up robotaxi production, clear inevitable regulatory hurdles or implement a business plan to leapfrog robotaxi rivals such as Alphabet’s Waymo.
Analysts and industry experts said establishing robotaxis could take years, particularly due to ensuring safety and reliability. They …