Robotaxi. No steering wheel or pedals!

[HemiEd]

We have several electric car threads, but this is bye week and the first time I have noticed no steering wheel or pedals. Just wow.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled the highly anticipated robotaxi last night, a driverless, $30K vehicle called the Cybercab. Tesla says the car—which lacks pedals and steering wheels—will go into production by 2027. The company also debuted a 20-person robovan and touted its Optimus robots.



The debut is almost a decade in the making and comes amid a series of lawsuits and investigations over Tesla's supervised driving vehicles. The company's investors hope robotaxis will generate almost 90% of Tesla's value and earnings by 2029. This would involve drivers being able to rent their vehicle through an app when not in use, earning passive income in a "part Uber, part Airbnb" model. Tesla hopes electric vehicle sales will eventually account for only 9% of Tesla's value.



Tesla is not the first company to pursue this model; Google’s Waymo already services 100,000 paid rides per week, including in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Phoenix. Amazon's Zoox is coming soon to San Francisco.

[Old Dog]

what could possibly go wrong?

[chiefzilla1501]

I know people want to talk about driverless as if the goal is for cities to be flooded with cars without drivers. But there are simple applications that are actually pretty intriguing and less dangerous. One that I always found particularly interesting… imagine if on game day or at a major convention or Christmas shopping, instead of having cars aggressively looking for the closest spot you could park wherever you want and have a number of driverless cars shuffle you closer.

I think this avenue is also being explored for “last mile connectivity” where many would use a bus or train but are just a little bit too far from a stop for it to be practical.

Even if you’re talking about danger, these cars are still competing with car being operated by drivers who drive increasingly distracted

[Spott]

If there’s no pedals or steering wheels, then why are the people that own them referred to as drivers? This also sounds like a way to put Uber/Lyft drivers out of business.

[ptlyon]

Should be easy to stiff the driver

[tredadda]

Yeah that might appeal to a younger generation, I question how many of the older generations will adopt it.

[Bwana]

Nope

[kcgreene]

Total Recall Johnny Cab GIFfrom Total Recall GIFs

[Delano]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

I know people want to talk about driverless as if the goal is for cities to be flooded with cars without drivers. But there are simple applications that are actually pretty intriguing and less dangerous. One that I always found particularly interesting… imagine if on game day or at a major convention or Christmas shopping, instead of having cars aggressively looking for the closest spot you could park wherever you want and have a number of driverless cars shuffle you closer.

I think this avenue is also being explored for “last mile connectivity” where many would use a bus or train but are just a little bit too far from a stop for it to be practical.

Even if you’re talking about danger, these cars are still competing with car being operated by drivers who drive increasingly distracted

Some major changes of infrastructure would be needed. Self driving cars without driver inputs make riders incredibly vulnerable. What do you do during a hijacking? What about if some drunks or homeless stand in front of the car? I’ve seen many videos of women in the self driving taxis and men with evil intentions crowd around and the car is just paralyzed.

So last mile transport may work but the thoroughfare would need to not allow pedestrians.

[TLO]

I will be Remanessing about this

[KCUnited]

I like the idea of its use at airports. Actually saw a guy get into a Waymo at Sky Harbor the other day and it did kind of feel like a movie

I also like the idea of an automated ride where you can control the internal climate. My biggest gripe with cabs and rideshares, especially to/from airports, is the aggressive driving and its always stuffy af in the vehicle or their bundle of Black Ice air fresheners are burning your nostrils, or they want to talk, etc

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by Delano

Some major changes of infrastructure would be needed. Self driving cars without driver inputs make riders incredibly vulnerable. What do you do during a hijacking? What about if some drunks or homeless stand in front of the car? I’ve seen many videos of women in the self driving taxis and men with evil intentions crowd around and the car is just paralyzed.

So last mile transport may work but the thoroughfare would need to not allow pedestrians.

For sure, that’s why I was talking about simple steps first. I’ve seen these introduced in very undense areas. Then maybe a shuttle type service in an undense area or very spacious parking lot. Then maybe specifically designed loops in actual traffic with a dedicated lane. Hell, we see automated delivery vehicles that won’t really hurt anyone.

Yeah lots of those things you mentioned to figure out. But that’s why you do it very slowly with intent to learn.

[RockChalk]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

I like the idea of its use at airports. Actually saw a guy get into a Waymo at Sky Harbor the other day and it did kind of feel like a movie

I also like the idea of an automated ride where you can control the internal climate. My biggest gripe with cabs and rideshares, especially to/from airports, is the aggressive driving and its always stuffy af in the vehicle or their bundle of Black Ice air fresheners are burning your nostrils, or they want to talk, etc

Ha. If it was last Thursday, maybe you saw us. A bunch of us took Waymo's to our rental last weekend.

[DJ's left nut]

I'd get in the car with Henry Ruggs before I'd get in a robotaxi.

[ChiliConCarnage]

I think they're already on the roads in some specific areas. I've also seen the really small delivery type vehicles not meant for people but just bringing groceries, packages across town to a house

I think a lot of this is still a long way away. I'd be easier to put sensors in road signs, lights but that's take forever to refresh everything.