Elon Musk's newest toys have been unveiled – and the world's wealthiest person once again played the role of ultimate hype man.
Tesla's Cybercab was finally introduced at an invitation-only glitzy party in Los Angeles on Thursday, giving a peek into a future the company's chief executive has been dreaming of.
Mr Musk said in his presentation that there is “a lot of pain that we take for granted” in today's transportation, which he said “costs too much”, is not safe and is not sustainable.
“You see a lot of sci-fi movies where the future is dark and dismal. It's not a future you want to be in,” he said, drawing cheers from a pro-electric vehicle crowd.
Mr Musk also treated the crowd to the Robovan, a bigger self-driving EV designed to transport up to 20 people, and the Tesla Bots, which are meant to aid in daily chores. He spent the evening dancing, serving drinks and playing rock-paper-scissors with guests.
Here's what you need to know about the new Cybercab. Spoiler alert: no windows failed an integrity test, unlike the Cybertruck.
What took the Cybercab so long?
It was nearly a decade ago in 2015 that Mr Musk first told Tesla shareholders that the company's cars would achieve full autonomy within three years. In 2016, he said that by the end of 2017, a Tesla car would be able to drive across the US without human intervention. In 2019, he said Tesla would have one million robotaxis on roads in 2020.
None of those happened.
Even Thursday's event was delayed: Tesla was originally supposed to hold the big unveiling on August 8, but it was pushed back by two months to let the teams do more work on the EVs.
There were several reasons for the delay and failed promises, most notably the challenge of developing the technology, as well as regulatory scrutiny – especially after accidents involving driverless cars, and what has been perceived as grandiose ambitions in such a short period.
What are the Cybercab's features?
The silver-coloured Cybercab has a familiar Tesla shape. Low and sleek with butterfly doors, it is definitely eye candy.
But its most distinctive feature is the lack of steering wheel and pedals. That should be enough to tell you it does not need a driver. It only has space for two passengers, but with a rear compartment that is bigger than those in standard sedans.
Tesla did not provide the exact dimensions of the Cybercab, but images it released after the event show an apparently spacious interior. A big tablet-like screen sits at the centre of the dashboard.
Elon Musk unveils Tesla's Cybercab – in pictures
When will the Cybercab be available and how much will it cost?
Mr Musk said Tesla would start manufacturing the Cybercab by 2026 but gave no definitive time on when it would be ready for rollout. For perspective, it took four years from its announcement for the Cybertruck to be released and Mr Musk said in 2020 that Tesla was “very close” to achieving full autonomy.
The company aims to keep the cost of the Cybercab below $30,000. Tesla's most affordable car, the Model 3, starts at $29,990 for its long-range rear-wheel drive option, according to the company's website.
How do you charge the Cybercab?
Unlike standard EVs that use plugs to charge them, the Cybercab will use inductive charging, meaning it can just roll up to a charging station or some sort of charging plate.
That suggests it would require bigger infrastructure, unlike today's public and domestic charging stations. It is unclear how Tesla would develop this, especially for an entire fleet of Cybercabs.
Safety first
There has been a lot of debate on when fully autonomous vehicles will become roadworthy. A number of reports have shown that it may take quite a while, with a 2023 study from GlobalData suggesting it would take 20 years to achieve this level of innovation.
Tesla was involved in a fatal incident in 2021, when one of its cars on its Autopilot system crashed and burst into flames in Houston, killing two people. Waymo, the self-driving arm of Google parent Alphabet, has also been involved in crashes.
Tesla has technology it calls Full Self-Driving, an $8,000 option on its EVs. However, the company requires drivers behind the wheel to be ready to take over, even when the feature is activated. The Cybercab, therefore, is Tesla's first real attempt at full autonomy.
Being in a self-driving car would, in theory, allow its “driver” or passengers to do other things, like eat, use a laptop or smartphone, or even sleep. However, there is still the huge risk of the car's systems failing or an out-of-control situation on the road, which drives up the need for an absolutely reliable system.
Let's see if Mr Musk can accelerate the pace – and maybe finally deliver on a promise after years of failed ones.
