Tesla CEO Elon Musk said Monday that the unveiling of the robot taxi will take more time so the automaker can make significant design changes to the front of the car and “show off” other features.
Musk did not say when the automaker would hold an event to launch the robot taxi. Bloomberg reported last week that the event, originally scheduled for August, was postponed until October.
In response to a user’s post at the event, Musk said: “I’ve requested some major design changes on the front end and the extra time will allow me to show a few more.”
A person familiar with the matter said Friday that the robotaxi event had been postponed, but did not provide further details.
There are several technical and regulatory hurdles to developing robotaxi and self-driving systems, and Wall Street analysts and Tesla investors say they wouldn’t be surprised if robotaxi is delayed.
Musk announced the news in August after Reuters reported on April 5 that Tesla was scrapping its long-promised low-cost cars and continuing to develop a self-driving robotaxi on the same small car platform.
The billionaire CEO has only revealed minimal details about the robotaxi. He said only that some vehicles will be owned and operated by Tesla, while others will be owned by private individuals but leased through the Tesla network.
Tesla shares rose on Monday after public support for Donald Trump in the US presidential election made it easier for Tesla to gain regulatory approval of its robotaxi and self-driving systems from the Trump administration.
Although Musk has consistently missed his self-driving car goals, he said in 2022 that Tesla would produce robot taxis without steering wheels and pedals by 2024.
Tesla shares rose 5% in afternoon trading.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.