Elon Musk to reveal the new Tesla Robo Taxi in few hours; here's how watch LIVE and what to expect

In a few hours, Elon Musk will unveil Tesla's robotaxi, a fully autonomous vehicle nearly a decade in the making. Since 2016, Musk has promised self-driving cars, but timelines have repeatedly shifted. Now, in 2024, Tesla is set to reveal the "robotaxi." The launch will happen at 7 PM ET (7:30 AM IST Friday).

In 2016, Elon Musk claimed Tesla's self-driving technology would allow drivers to sleep or travel without assistance. He also announced that all new Tesla vehicles, including the Model 3, would have the hardware needed for full autonomy. Despite these promises, no Tesla is fully autonomous today. Tesla introduced driver-assist features like Autopilot, Navigate on Autopilot, Full Self-Driving (FSD), and FSD Supervised, but none have reached full self-driving capability.

In 2019, Musk shared his vision for Tesla owners to use their cars as part-time taxis under the concept of the "Cybercab." This was part of his goal to create a network of autonomous taxis.

Robotaxi expectations

On October 10, Tesla will reveal the robotaxi at an event at Warner Bros. Studios in California. Reports suggest the robotaxi will be a futuristic two-seater with butterfly wing doors. The event is seen as a major milestone, though some skepticism remains due to Tesla's history of missed deadlines.

The unveiling comes at a challenging time. Tesla's sales have declined due to increasing competition in the US and China, and it faces scrutiny from regulators regarding safety concerns related to Autopilot and FSD. According to a report by The Verge, At least 1,000 crashes involving Autopilot and FSD are under investigation, including 44 fatalities. Critics argue Tesla's technology sometimes fails to keep drivers engaged, creating safety risks.

You can stream the launch event live using the embed below:
 

Competing with industry rivals

Musk has positioned the robotaxi to compete with companies like Waymo, which already operate autonomous ride-hailing services in specific areas. Unlike Waymo, which uses lidar and radar, Tesla relies solely on cameras, a decision debated by industry experts.

The robotaxi aims to be a Level 5 autonomous vehicle, capable of driving without human intervention. However, Tesla's Full Self-Driving software still faces challenges, such as dealing with wet roads and sunlight glare, raising doubts about its ability to achieve true autonomy.