What to expect at Tesla’s ‘We, Robot’ event

Tesla is astir to uncover its self-driving robotaxi, a purpose-built autonomous conveyance that’s expected to reposition the institution arsenic a leader successful AI and robotics.

The caller robotaxi will beryllium revealed at Warner Bros. movie studios successful Burbank, California, wherever Tesla has reportedly been collecting caller mapping information successful the lead-up to the event. Tesla has a batch of crushed to screen to beryllium it tin motorboat a driverless conveyance that tin compete pinch robotaxi rivals for illustration Waymo and Cruise. And Elon Musk is expected to outline his imagination for the Tesla Network, successful which Tesla owners tin adhd their autonomous vehicles to a robotaxi fleet erstwhile they’re not utilizing them.

Tesla was primitively readying to uncover the robotaxi in August, but Musk pushed the day to October 10th to let for much clip to activity connected the prototype. The institution could besides person immoderate surprises up its sleeve. Could a cheaper Tesla beryllium coming? Maybe there’s clip being group speech to uncover the rumored “Juniper” Model Y? Perhaps a self-driving van?

Tesla sent retired invites to the arena pinch the title “We, Robot,” a reference to Isaac Asimov’s seminal activity I, Robot. It could besides bespeak that we’ll get an update connected the company’s humanoid Optimus bot. But we’ll person to watch the livestream to find out, arsenic the institution has only invited a constricted number of people, including investors and influencers.

When is Tesla’s Robotaxi Event

Tesla’s “We, Robot” robotaxi position will return spot connected Thursday, October 10th, astatine 10PM ET / 9PM CT / 7PM PT.

How to watch Tesla’s Robotaxi Event

This robotaxi isn’t your car

Since 2019, Musk has promised that Full Self-Driving-capable vehicles will yet beryllium capable to make money for their owners by operating autonomously connected a “Tesla Network” to chauffeur group around. He promised that a “million” robotaxis would beryllium driving astir by 2020, but that goalpost kept moving further down the field.

Although Tesla’s Level 2 driver-assist strategy is beautiful capable, it has yet to beryllium it tin spell driverless pinch conscionable a camera-based imagination system, compared to existing robotaxi companies that usage aggregate redundant sensors, including lidar. The robotaxi, which Bloomberg reports will beryllium a two-seater pinch butterfly doors, will supplement privately owned vehicles that are added to the Tesla Network.

A heavy camouflaged and weirdly shaped yellowish car was spied connected tract that whitethorn person much than conscionable cameras. The institution did buy a bunch of lidar sensors from Luminar successful bid to validate its robotaxi testing. Musk has called lidars a “crutch” for autonomous vehicles and insisted that the camera-based Tesla Vision strategy is the measurement forward.

A batch is riding connected the occurrence of Tesla’s robotaxi. Musk is pivoting the institution to robots and autonomous systems conscionable arsenic the company’s EV income person faltered.

What’s Optimus up to?

Tesla’s humanoid Optimus robot is besides apt going to get immoderate clip successful the spotlight. The robot is expected to beryllium capable to execute “useful tasks” by the extremity of this year. And Musk said it’ll beryllium a merchandise you could bargain by the extremity of 2025. As pinch each lofty goals, return it pinch a atom of brackish — but we tin expect to spot an update to Optimus connected Thursday. After all, the arena is called “We, Robot.”

New car surprise

Musk has indicated to shareholders that a caller and cheaper Tesla is backmost connected the paper aft early reports suggested it was being scrapped. A $25,000 Tesla could disrupt the EV marketplace by yet fulfilling the request for cheaper electrical cars and could compete pinch lower-cost Chinese EVs.

However, Tesla could besides merchandise a much affordable Model 3 to capable that marketplace alternatively of creating a promised cheaper “Gen 3” platform. Tesla precocious discontinued the modular scope Model 3, which was its cheapest conveyance nether $40,000.

The past clip Tesla had an Apple-style “one much thing” astonishment was the uncover of the caller Tesla Roadster astatine the Tesla Semi arena successful 2017. The Roadster still hasn’t entered production, but now Musk says that’ll hap adjacent year. We could besides conscionable get an update connected the expected “Juniper” redesign of the Model Y.

But the robotaxi will beryllium the prima of the show. And pinch truthful overmuch riding connected its success, it will surely beryllium absorbing to perceive Musk outline his imagination for its future.