The pioneering electric vehicle company Tesla has been consistently pushing boundaries in the automobile space. From being one of the first companies to have widespread success with electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles to automated driving systems, the company cannot be faulted when it comes to innovation and futuristic technology. Recently, Tesla has been in the news again on account for a significant update on the progress of Robotaxis.
How Tesla continues to drive innovation
Tesla has consistently been a driving force in pushing innovative technology in the automobile space. Tesla first gained success due to their electrical vehicles. Not only due to their advanced battery technology, but the company’s ability to make combine sustainability and luxury was a huge factor in their vehicles’ popularity. Since their inception in 2008, Tesla has continued to grow, building huge Gigafactories in and outside the US to keep up with production demand.
Recognizing the importance of diversifying their range, Tesla has also been working on other products such as their Powerwall and Solar Roofs. The Powerwall is an at-home battery which provides backup power protection in the case of a power outage, while their Solar Roofs is their unique approach to photovoltaic technology.
However, driving innovation in the automobile sector continues to be Tesla’s main priority. With a push for automated driving technology through their Autopilot and Full Self-Driving systems, Tesla continues to think of ways driving can be revolutionized. One such initiative is their plan to enter the public transport sector by rolling out their very own fleet of commercial robotaxis.
This state just granted the first robotaxi permit
In a ground-breaking move for Tesla, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) recently decided to grant Tesla their first ever ride-hail permit. This permit is the first stage in the company’s plan to implement a ride-hailing service in the state. Tesla first applied for the permit last year as they began to prepare to implement their plans to operate a fleet of vehicles for passenger services using employees as drivers.
The new permit allows Tesla to operate commercial vehicles, but currently only under certain conditions. As it stands, Tesla can currently only transport their own employees on a pre-arranged basis. It does not yet allow the company to go full speed ahead with ride-hailing, nor can they use autonomous driving with the permit. However, it is an important first steep towards seeing Tesla’s robotaxis on the road not just in California, but nationwide.
Looking ahead, in order to transport general members of the public, Tesla would have to notify CPUC of their plans to initiate this step. Tesla’s vision for a ride-hailing service is different to popular ride-hailing services like Uber or Lyft as these companies connect independent drivers to passengers. Tesla plans to also launch their driverless Cybercabs at some point as part of their ride-hailing servide. However, before they can do this, they will need to apply to be part of California’s autonomous driving program. The company is also expected to staert rolling out their ride-hailing service in Texas.
Is the world ready for autonomous driving?
With Tesla’s ultimate vision for their ride-hailing service using driverless cars, it begs the question if the world is ready for full autonomous driving? Tesla has faced many challenges with their autonomous driving software, including facing an ongoing investigation from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration related to car accidents involving the autonomous driving software. Criticizers of the software say that while the technology is innovative, it cannot work while the majority of vehicles on the road are still driven by people, keeping human error a major risk.
