Tesla founder Elon Musk has shown a prototype autonomous vehicle which could be ready to enter production by 2026, but Musk himself said that could slip to 2027.
“I tend to be a little optimistic with timeframes,” he admitted.
Musk said the ‘Cybercab’ vehicle could have a price tag under $30,000 and that a robovan – with the capability to carry 20 people – would follow. There was no timeline for that.
The Cybercab robotaxi concept was shown at the ‘We, Robot’ event hosted by Warner Bros. studios in Burbank, California.
The Cybercab will have no steering wheel or pedals, Musk said, and will have inductive charging rather than a plug.
Musk highlighted the future safety and lifestyle benefits that AVs can bring, but analysts remain sceptical about the rollout timeframes for fully autonomous and self-driving vehicles.
Some are also pointing out the immediate requirements to sell more current tech EVs and meet the challenge of Chinese manufacturers who are bringing EVs to market at much lower price points than Tesla and other Western carmakers.
Explainer: when will we have driverless vehicles?
