Tesla is making headlines once again with its plan to expand its so-called autonomous ride-hailing program, dubbed “Robotaxi”, to the Bay Area. However, this expansion comes with a twist – there will be a driver in the driver’s seat, stripping away the true meaning of the term “Robotaxi”.
As critics have pointed out, Tesla’s push for a Robotaxi launch is more about optics than actual autonomous driving capabilities. Despite years of promises from CEO Elon Musk about achieving fully autonomous driving, Tesla is still not ready to deploy a level 4 autonomous system. This has led to the addition of a safety monitor in the passenger front seat during the Austin launch of the Robotaxi service, with the ability to stop the vehicle at any time.
In Austin, where the Robotaxi service has been operating for the past month, these safety monitors have already intervened multiple times over just 7,000 miles. Now, Tesla is looking to bring this service to the Bay Area, with rumors swirling that the launch could happen as soon as this weekend.
During Tesla’s recent earnings call, Ashok Elluswamy, head of self-driving at Tesla, confirmed that the Bay Area launch will also include “a person in the driver’s seat”. This decision is said to be a way to expedite the launch while waiting for regulatory approval. However, it’s worth noting that Tesla has yet to apply for the necessary permits to commercially operate autonomous vehicles in California.
In reality, Tesla’s Robotaxi service in the Bay Area will not be much different from a regular Uber ride with a Tesla owner using the Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature to pick up passengers. Essentially, Tesla is launching an Uber-like service with employees behind the wheel using FSD technology, and branding it as a “Robotaxi” service. This move seems to be more of a distraction from the fact that Tesla has yet to deliver on its promise of a level 4 autonomous driving system.
In conclusion, while Tesla’s Robotaxi expansion may be grabbing headlines, it remains to be seen if the company can truly deliver on its vision of fully autonomous driving. The use of safety monitors and drivers in the driver’s seat raises questions about the readiness of Tesla’s technology, and whether the company is truly on the cusp of a breakthrough in autonomous driving.
