Robotaxi Day: What to expect from Tesla October 10 event
Will AI-driven, vision-only solution really make roads and 'cybercabs' safer?
Tesla’s “Robotaxi Day” is happening (fingers crossed) on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
Elon Musk has tantalised fans with cryptic hints, while his chief designer gave outlines of what's to come, fueling speculation and heightening anticipation.
The mystery surrounding the 'cybercab' has only intensified as Tesla began distributing invitations to its exclusive Robotaxi event.
The EV maker is expected to hold the unveiling at the Warner Brothers Discovery studio in Burbank, California, on Thursday at 8 PM EST (4 am in the UAE, Friday) in an event dubbed “We, Robot.”
For those eagerly awaiting Tesla's next move, the anticipation is palpable. The company's dedicated fanbase is on the edge of their seats, expecting nothing short of groundbreaking revelations.
How to watch: Tesla will livestream the “We, Robot” event on X, while hosting “watch parties” are set at many Tesla stores too.
Here are five things to look forward to:
#1. Robotaxis, software and tech advancements:
Tesla is known for its advanced software and space-age technology. The event could feature a new 'Cybertaxi', as well as updates to Autopilot, Full Self-Driving (FSD) capabilities, and other innovative features.
Franz von Holzhausen, Tesla chief design, did share some hints on what’s to come. He told TechCrunch: “In a strange sort of way, we’ve been working our way — in a very public way — to what an autonomous future will look like."
“So you see the big interface that we have, the way it’s configurable and upgradable, and we bring a variety of entertainment pieces to it, and some humour as well. And I think that will continue to evolve.”
“The self-presenting door handle in the early days — that was like a 'handshake' with technology,” he said. “It was getting us comfortable with the vehicle becoming part of our daily lives.”
Tesla has made public its ultimate aim: An autonomous driving solution that will ramp the transport-as-a-service (TaaS) business model. “I desperately don’t want my kids to have to worry about getting a driver’s license, or driving at all,” von Holzhausen declared.
#2. New model announcements:
There's much speculation Tesla may unveil 3 new cars (models or variants of existing models).
#3. Battery and charging:
Tesla could also share new developments regarding its battery technology, charging infrastructure, or partnerships related to energy storage.
#4. Semi truck production:
Tesla's Semi truck, designed for long-haul transportation, is expected to enter production and start deliveries to customers.
#5. Cybertruck updates:
The Cybertruck, Tesla's highly anticipated electric pickup truck, is expected to receive production updates and possibly a revised timeline for deliveries.
• With a run rate of 5 million autonomous miles per day and having Dojo, the world’s fastest Nvidia-based Tesla supercomputer, helping refine the self-driving software, Tesla has a clear path to scaling its robotaxi fleet.
• Its closest driverless taxi rival in the US, Waymo, relies on Zeekr, based in China.
• Zeekr could face hefty US tariffs, which may be why Waymo has entered into another manufacturing relationship with Hyundai.
• One estimate states that Waymo’s vehicles cost more than $100,000 to produce, its sensor set alone ~$40,000+, though it is working to reduce costs.
• Tesla’s Model 3 costs around $40,000, sensors included. While it needs to build backend support for remote vehicle assistance and customer support, Tesla should be able to leverage its existing factory, charging, and service infrastructure to scale efficiently, according to ARK Invest, which closely tracks the AI industry.
Promises
The event has been delayed several times. Will Musk make more promises and set impossible timelines? In 2017, at the semi event, Tesla introduced the "2020 Roadster", and took in deposits from customers. It’s now 2024 and there is no 2020 Roadster.
It’s still anyone’s guess whether Tesla will roll out something revolutionary – or the event may prove to be just iterations of what’s already out there.
If the cubercab rolls out, it disrupt the taxi business the way Airbnb changed bed-and-breakfast?
Milestone
Given that the company’s pioneering efforts and unmatched success in the EV space are hard to dismiss, in spite of Musk’s sometimes erratic behaviour.
Tesla has already proven that it can deliver the impossible, even if a bit late. The 10/10 announcement could further shape the future of EVs, sending shockwaves across the automotive industry.
• Large-scale AI model training: This level of performance is essential for training and deploying large-scale AI models.
• Focus on AI training: The Dojo is primarily designed for training large-scale AI models, such as those used for natural language processing, computer vision, and recommendation systems. While it can also be used for inference, its primary focus is on training.
• Modular design: The Dojo is designed to be modular, allowing it to scale up or down based on specific needs. This flexibility makes it suitable for a wide range of AI applications.
• Custom networking: The Dojo features custom networking hardware and software that optimise communication between the GPUs, enabling efficient data transfer and synchronisation.