Are robotaxis the future? Or instead, the past?
Are robotaxis the future? Or instead, the past?
The robotaxi companies have been more than just a bit misleading to both the public and the regulators. Untruths or downright lies? You decide…
Waymo tries its best to hide information from the public. But by closely looking at what little data is available from the California PUC one can see that Waymo vehicles are empty for 52% of the miles traveled. Instead of reducing VMT, they more than double it for replaced automobile trips.
Bloomberg reports that JP Morgan has told clients that for Tesla's alleged robotaxi service that there is no material revenue generation expected for years. The article also points out that Elon Musk's self-driving predictions have never panned out. This all further shows that Musk's robotaxi claims are just a distraction to falsely prop up Tesla stock price during declining sales.
Electrek reports that Elon Musk had Tesla pay over $1 million to the Boring Company to dig a completely unnecessary tunnel on Tesla property. This further shows that Elon Musk is misusing Tesla resources for his own personnel financial gain, just as he has been doing with his robotaxi statements.
AutoEvolution reports that the much hyped (by Elon) FSD V12.4.1 isn't working that well. Clearly Tesla does not have the technology for real AVs that would be needed for robotaxi service. The whole robotaxi hype is clearly just a way of artificially keeping their stock price high.
Reuters reports that has ruled that the California Department of Motor Vehicles should indeed investigate whether Tesla has overstated its vehicles' self-driving capabilities. It is a separate ruling from the recent May 15th one on whether a class-action lawsuit against Tesla's claims can proceed.
CNBC reports that once again Elon Musk has lied to Tesla shareholders. He boasted that Tesla would be making a huge investment into AI in order to power their supposed robotaxi system. But it turns out that he has been directing the scarce supply of Nvidia AI chips from Tesla to xAI, a separate company that Musk has a huge financial stake in.
Electrek reports that after years of refusing, Tesla is finally reporting more in depth data for its (non-auto) Autopilot. And the numbers explain why they stopped reporting data completely back in 2022.
Opinion piece in Bloomberg on how Elon Musk's pursuit of robotaxis could be a huge setback for Tesla. Musk has placed more of Tesla’s fortunes in the hands of public officials and processes beyond the routinely accommodating environs of the boardroom and the stock market. Reality, and a lower stock price, will surely result.
Electrek reports that very few trial users are purchasing Full Self Driving after their free trial use. Elon Musk has been propping up Tesla share prices by claiming the real money will be made via autonomous vehicle software and a robotaxi fleet. But it turns out customers are not really interested in paying for Tesla's weak technology.
Reuters reports that Tesla's statements on their autonomous vehicles is now being investigated as possible securities or wire fraud by misleading investors and consumers about its vehicles' self-driving capabilities. This will not end well.
TechCrunch reports that SoftBank was the lead in Wayve's recent $1B funding round for developing an autonomous vehicle system. Impressive that SoftBank still has money to burn.
Detailed article in TechCrunch on upcoming legislation winding its way through the California legislature. Includes details on why the changes are needed, and why the AV companies are fighting them.
The Cruise Origin was hyped as being the future of robotaxis, providing low-cost service to everyone, including to people with disabilities. But it turns out it was indeed just hype, and now is a cancelled project. This means more though then just warehousing a bunch of unpermitted vehicles. It means that Cruise has no way of ever succeeding as a business.
Epic article on the relationship between financial dodgy SPACs and autonomous vehicle companies. Explains what SPACs are, and goes into detail on who the AV companies who used them have either already flamed out or will do so relatively soon. No SPAC AV company will be spared.
An investigation by Quinn Emanuel law firm into an October crash involving a Cruise driverless car revealed a lack of clear communication with regulators and prioritization of reputation over safety. Following the incident, the Justice Department and other agencies are investigating, Cruise has halted operations, laid off staff, and replaced its CEO. The self-driving subsidiary of General Motors is now seeking to rebuild trust and resume business..
