Tesla recently expanded its Robotaxi service area in Austin, Texas, in a rather unconventional way. The new service map drawn by the company resembled a penis shape, sparking amusement and confusion among onlookers. While this move may have been intended to cater to the whimsical sense of humor of CEO Elon Musk, it inadvertently highlighted the lack of seriousness in Tesla’s Robotaxi business compared to other autonomous ride-hailing programs.
The Robotaxi service, which was initially launched for a select group of Tesla stock promoters on X, required a Tesla employee to be present in the vehicle at all times with a kill switch. Essentially, it mirrored Tesla’s Supervised Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature in consumer vehicles, albeit with a slight tweak in the supervisor’s position.
Following the launch, Tesla announced plans to expand the service area in Austin. However, the updated map revealed a peculiar route that seemed to be a nod to Musk’s quirky sense of humor. This move, while amusing, raised questions about the company’s priorities and commitment to the Robotaxi service.
In contrast, Waymo, a key player in the autonomous driving space, operates in a more extensive area in Austin and other cities without the need for a supervisor in the vehicle. The company’s presence in multiple cities, including San Francisco, the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, underscores its advanced capabilities in autonomous driving technology.
Despite Tesla’s ambitious goals and promises of unsupervised self-driving in vehicles built since 2016, the company still lags behind competitors like Waymo. While Tesla continues to make progress in the autonomous driving sector, there is a growing concern about the discrepancy between its claims and actual achievements.
Ultimately, Tesla’s playful approach to expanding its Robotaxi service may have garnered attention, but it also raised doubts about the company’s readiness to compete with more established players in the autonomous driving industry. As the race for self-driving technology intensifies, Tesla will need to demonstrate tangible advancements to maintain its position as a leader in the field.
