tech
Tesla’s robotaxi promises are clashing with reality
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TL;DR
- Tesla CEO Elon Musk's optimistic claims about the robotaxi program are contrasted with reports of flat mileage and a shrinking fleet.
- Tesla's unsupervised robotaxis have driven 380,000 miles across six cities, with Musk claiming a 10% weekly increase in miles driven.
- Ashok Elluswamy, head of AI at Tesla, defended the company's camera-only approach, claiming it's sufficient for safe autonomy.
- Competitor Waymo drives approximately four million miles weekly, highlighting a significant gap in Tesla's reported mileage.
- Investor sentiment is reportedly affected, with one analyst calling the situation an 'alarming decline'.
- The number of unsupervised vehicles in operation appears limited, with specific low numbers cited for cities like Austin, Dallas, and Houston.
- Expansion across multiple cities is attributed to proving the generality of Tesla's AI stack, not just scaling in one location.
- State regulations, such as potential bans on robotaxis without multiple sensors in New Jersey, pose a challenge.
- Tesla's safety record is described as a 'mixed bag,' with limited insight into crashes due to redacted details.
- The company's Full Self-Driving (FSD) system is under investigation by NHTSA, with potential for recall.
- Tesla is pushing a narrative of growth for its robotaxi program despite data that appears to contradict this message.