I have significant doubts about this “any Tesla as robotaxi” idea at least if you’re referring to Musk’s empty promises about how you could make money off your own Tesla while not using it.
The simple explanation is indeed that they’ve noticed 2 seats is enough for most taxi usage and IIRC I’ve seen some articles say the data supports that. They’ve optimized the Cybercab to be their taxi in this and other ways. Clearly they’ve also made efforts to maximize its range and chosen an interior that is easy to clean, removed the glass roof and even the rear window that would possibly not last so long in heavy use etc.
If there’s ever going to be a bigger taxi from them I’d expect it to be another purpose-built vehicle.
I have significant doubts about this “any Tesla as robotaxi” idea at least if you’re referring to Musk’s empty promises about how you could make money off your own Tesla while not using it.
Oh man, I have serious doubts about that! But that’s what they’ve claimed they want to do. And I can see the profit motive there, so I have no doubt they’ll try. I’m not saying it’ll work.
Regular Model Ys are already on the road as robo taxis. They have far more of those than the cyber cabs.
I’m in Austin right now for a race, and there’s a million of these fuckin things. I rode in a regular autonomous Model Y taxi last night. You can call either of them in the app, so you’re not limited to the two seater if you have more people.
Obviously my point was not that Model Y cannot function as a robotaxi, just that since they seem to be needing to gradually expand a geofence, validate, continuously monitor the vehicles in operation and are even picking the strategy of not utilizing existing cars that much and instead building the Cybercab. This suggests that no opportunity for millions of Tesla owners to sign their own vehicle up for robotaxi duties is coming any time soon.
If 80%+ of rides is 2 people or less, I dont think it make sense to necessarily make a purpose built vehicle when you already make a vehicle you sell to consumers that can fill the small gap? (Edit and I dont mean use their cars, but their own internal fleet like they use today)
Thats a lot of capital expenditures for a small slice of the rides, of which you wont even be the only company serving.
They are also working on a purpose built small bus type vehicle, but that wont be a hail for 3 people kinda thing, itll be for routes that people get on/off of.
My bet is theyll make another vehicle they can sell to consumers for personal non taxi use, but will also be cheaper and work for the up to 4 or 5 people taxi rides. So not quite purpose built, but with some intentions towards it.
I have significant doubts about this “any Tesla as robotaxi” idea at least if you’re referring to Musk’s empty promises about how you could make money off your own Tesla while not using it.
The simple explanation is indeed that they’ve noticed 2 seats is enough for most taxi usage and IIRC I’ve seen some articles say the data supports that. They’ve optimized the Cybercab to be their taxi in this and other ways. Clearly they’ve also made efforts to maximize its range and chosen an interior that is easy to clean, removed the glass roof and even the rear window that would possibly not last so long in heavy use etc.
If there’s ever going to be a bigger taxi from them I’d expect it to be another purpose-built vehicle.
I have significant doubts about this “any Tesla as robotaxi” idea at least if you’re referring to Musk’s empty promises about how you could make money off your own Tesla while not using it.
Oh man, I have serious doubts about that! But that’s what they’ve claimed they want to do. And I can see the profit motive there, so I have no doubt they’ll try. I’m not saying it’ll work.
You doubt something that already exists???
Regular Model Ys are already on the road as robo taxis. They have far more of those than the cyber cabs.
I’m in Austin right now for a race, and there’s a million of these fuckin things. I rode in a regular autonomous Model Y taxi last night. You can call either of them in the app, so you’re not limited to the two seater if you have more people.
Obviously my point was not that Model Y cannot function as a robotaxi, just that since they seem to be needing to gradually expand a geofence, validate, continuously monitor the vehicles in operation and are even picking the strategy of not utilizing existing cars that much and instead building the Cybercab. This suggests that no opportunity for millions of Tesla owners to sign their own vehicle up for robotaxi duties is coming any time soon.
If 80%+ of rides is 2 people or less, I dont think it make sense to necessarily make a purpose built vehicle when you already make a vehicle you sell to consumers that can fill the small gap? (Edit and I dont mean use their cars, but their own internal fleet like they use today)
Thats a lot of capital expenditures for a small slice of the rides, of which you wont even be the only company serving.
They are also working on a purpose built small bus type vehicle, but that wont be a hail for 3 people kinda thing, itll be for routes that people get on/off of.
My bet is theyll make another vehicle they can sell to consumers for personal non taxi use, but will also be cheaper and work for the up to 4 or 5 people taxi rides. So not quite purpose built, but with some intentions towards it.