Washington – Elon Musk, CEO of the American electric car company Tesla, revealed yesterday two models of a self-driving taxi and a bus.
This came, in a presentation made by Musk in California, at a time when a few companies around the world are competing in self-driving technologies, whether for personal vehicles or taxis.
Musk said that the taxi is called the Cyber Cab from Tesla, expecting commercial production to begin in 2026, at a price not exceeding $30,000, which is a competitive price even for Chinese electric cars.
A video clip published by Tesla shows Musk riding in one of the two-door sedans on his way to the stage. He presented a futuristic concept of a Robovan, which he said could transport 20 people.
The event comes at a time when pressure and marketing restrictions have increased against Chinese car companies, both from Canada and, more recently, the European Union, which imposed customs duties of up to 45 percent on electric vehicles manufactured in China.
Musk said that electric cars produced by Tesla will soon be self-driving without prior supervision from the vehicle owner, a technology that he transferred to taxis and buses.
For years, Tesla has been selling a set of features that are marketed in vehicles as fully self-driving, and which require constant supervision, but Musk said, on Thursday, that continuous supervision is nearing the end, due to the development of driving systems.
He said: “The company expects to be able to allow owners of Tesla Model 3 and Model Y cars in Texas and California not to need to supervise the self-driving system next year. Vehicle owners will be able to determine their final destination without any arrangements to choose shorter routes.”
Musk told attendees that consumers will be able to purchase a CyberCap by 2026.
Anatolia
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