Tesla has announced the launch of an autonomous taxi network that combines the principles of Uber and Airbnb services. The company's new product gives owners of Tesla cars the ability to rent out their cars during periods when they are not in use, while earning income that, according to Elon Musk, can exceed the monthly cost of a loan or lease.
The first wave of robotaxis was launched on June 22 in Austin, Texas. The new network includes two types of vehicles: cars that belong to Tesla itself, and cars of private owners who can independently decide when and for how long to connect their cars to the system. Owners manage this process through the Tesla mobile app.
Users of the platform can call autonomous cars through the app, set trip parameters, including the desired temperature in the cabin, and track the route on the map in real time. Cars operate without a driver thanks to the installed Tesla autopilot systems. According to the company, the platform retains a minimum commission for mediation between vehicle owners and passengers, which makes the service more profitable for owners compared to traditional car rental.
The service was created with the expectation of scaling across the entire United States. Elon Musk said that the company plans to bring hundreds of thousands, and in the future — up to a million autonomous taxis to the roads by the end of next year. These plans are in line with Tesla's strategy to actively develop driverless technologies and increase their commercial use.
Tesla's new initiative is entering a market where serious competitors such as Uber and Waymo are already operating. Both companies have been investing heavily in the development of driverless taxi networks and testing autonomous transport in real-world conditions over the past few years.
The launch of the Tesla autonomous taxi network marks an important stage in the development of the company's business model. It is betting on combining autopilot capabilities with a vehicle-sharing model that could potentially transform the passenger transportation market in the coming years.
