Published on: October 11, 2024, 09:44h.
Last updated on: October 11, 2024, 09:54h.
Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, recently introduced the concept of “Cybercabs,” fully autonomous self-driving vehicles that could revolutionize urban transportation.
Musk made the announcement at the Warner Bros. movie studio lot in Los Angeles, arriving in a Cybercab. The billionaire, with a net worth of around $246 billion, explained that these AI-powered vehicles operate autonomously without steering wheels or pedals.
According to Musk, the transition will be from supervised fully automated driving to unsupervised fully automated driving, allowing passengers to comfortably sleep and wake up at their destination. He envisions a bright future ahead.
Tesla aims to incorporate full self-driving technology into its Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in Texas and California by 2026, pending necessary approvals. The Cybercabs are expected to be priced under $30,000.
Las Vegas Transformation
Musk and Tesla have a significant presence in Nevada and Las Vegas. The state is home to the Gigafactory, a massive facility producing electric motors, energy storage products, vehicle powertrains, and batteries. Located close to Lake Tahoe, the factory produces a billion battery cells annually.
Musk has already introduced innovations in transportation on the Las Vegas Strip. Through the Boring Company, he continues to expand the Las Vegas Loop, enhancing connectivity within the city.
The underground public transportation system utilizes a fleet of 70 Tesla Model Y vehicles to transport passengers between the Resorts World Station on the northern end of the Strip to the Las Vegas Convention Center. Future plans include additional stops at Harry Reid International Airport, Allegiant Stadium, UNLV, downtown Las Vegas, and potentially, the Oakland A’s upcoming MLB stadium and a stop for the Brightline high-speed rail project, if realized.
The introduction of Tesla’s Cybercabs could further revolutionize the Las Vegas experience, posing a challenge to traditional taxi and ride-sharing services.
In addition to the Cybercab announcement, Musk provided an update on Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robots, designed to perform various tasks such as lawn mowing, grocery unloading, and dishwashing. Priced at around $30,000, these robots could also impact hospitality jobs in casinos.
Musk stated that the robots have endless capabilities, suggesting they can adapt to diverse tasks.
Skepticism Surrounds the Future
Despite the promising prospects of Musk’s Cybercabs, analysts caution that Tesla must first perfect the autonomous driving technology before widespread adoption can occur.
Critics highlight that Tesla’s claims of imminent automated driving have been repeated for years without substantial progress.
Las Vegas already utilizes robots in various capacities, including drink preparation and security. While these automated systems offer efficiency, some customers have expressed concerns over service speed and quality compared to human counterparts.
Moving forward, the integration of advanced technologies like Cybercabs and humanoid robots is expected to reshape urban landscapes and industries, sparking discussions on their societal and economic implications.