Tesla robotaxi event this Thursday: When and how to watch
What's the story
Tesla, the famous electric vehicle maker, is all set to unveil its much-awaited robotaxi in a grand event on Thursday. The event will be held at Warner Bros. Discovery's movie studio in Burbank, California. Doors will open at 5pm PT (5:30am IST, Friday) and remarks will begin at 7pm PT (7:30am IST). The company will stream the "We, Robot" event live on its YouTube page and on the Elon Musk-owned social media platform X.
Postponement
Delayed debut due to design modifications
The robotaxi event was first teased by Musk in April, with an original reveal date of August 8. However, the date had to be pushed back due to "an important design change to the front." Notably, the delay in unveiling the robotaxi has apparently overshadowed the launch of a next-generation $25,000 EV that Musk had also promised.
Autonomy focus
Tesla's commitment to autonomy amid workforce reduction
Following the announcement of the robotaxi event, Musk made some major changes at Tesla. He cut more than 10% of the company's workforce and announced that the automaker was going "balls to the wall for autonomy." This move highlights Tesla's focus on pushing autonomous capabilities in its vehicles, even as some have criticized its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system.
Design vision
Musk's vision for a steering wheel-less robotaxi
The upcoming reveal is likely to be more about the vehicle than its autonomous tech. Musk has previously expressed his desire to build a robotaxi without a steering wheel or pedals. Photos from Walter Isaacson's Elon Musk biography, released in 2023, depict a Cybertruck-inspired two-door, two-seater compact vehicle that could be the long-awaited robotaxi.