30s Summary

Tesla’s recent “We, Robot” event in Hollywood was met with disappointment as it failed to live up to hype, causing Tesla’s stocks to drop nearly 8%. The company showcased autonomous vehicles such as the “Cybercab” and “Cybervan”, neither of which had steering wheels or manual controls, and the “Optimus” robot. The Cybercab, to be launched in the next few years, is set to cost less than $30,000. Full autonomous driving was announced to be available in Texas and California only by 2025 for Tesla owners with the ‘Full Self Driving’ software package. However, no significant progress in robotics or autonomous vehicles was evident.

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Tesla’s big tech event on Oct. 10, dubbed “We, Robot” in Hollywood, California, was kind of a letdown. After all the hype, people were expecting a bit more. It didn’t help matters when Tesla’s stocks dipped nearly 8% after the event while Uber’s went up almost 9%.

At the event, Tesla showed off autonomous vehicles and their “Optimus” robot. They also revealed two new models: the “Cybercab” and “Cybervan.” Here’s the catch, though – they didn’t have steering wheels or any other means for humans to control them. Even worse, Tesla’s head honcho, Elon Musk, didn’t give any hint that Tesla’s got the tech to support fully self-driving cars yet.

So, what about the new prototypes? First up, the “Cybercab” – Tesla’s much-awaited robotaxi. Musk announced that it would cost less than $30,000 and would be available in the next couple of years. The idea is for it to not just move people around but to help reduce traffic, save lives and even let Cybercab owners join an autonomous ride-sharing economy.

Then there’s the “Cybervan”. It’s designed to carry up to 20 passengers. Unfortunately, Tesla didn’t tell us when they’ll be launching it.

On a more positive note, Musk did say that full autonomous driving will be available for Tesla owners with the ‘Full Self Driving’ software package and subscription in 2025, but only in Texas and California. Those states already allow self-driving vehicle tests in some areas, but it’s a bit vague whether Tesla’s got extra permission to operate its cars fully autonomously all over these states or if it’s just taking part in existing testing programs.

Of course, the star of the show was the Optimus robot, with several of them at the event interacting with guests and even putting on a dance show. But, despite the cool demonstrations, Tesla didn’t seem to show any real progress in robotics, autonomous vehicles, or AI.

At the end of the day, Musk’s vision is for Optimus to become your “friend,” helping out with daily tasks and basically do anything you can think of. But, Tesla didn’t provide any details about how or when they’re going to turn this vision into reality, or how they’ll deal with the rules and safety concerns that come with making a robot that acts on its own.

Source: Cointelegraph