Elon Musk is focusing on developing fully self-driving vehicles, with plans to launch the Cybercab, a robotaxi without a steering wheel or pedals, by 2027. However, Tesla faces stiff competition from companies like Waymo and Zoox, which are already advancing in the robotaxi market. Waymo reports 150,000 paid rides weekly with its driverless fleet, while Zoox is deploying its robotaxis in San Francisco and Las Vegas. Despite these challenges, Tesla aims to have self-driving vehicles operational in California and Texas next year.
Key takeaways:
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- Zheng Gao, Tesla's director of engineering for Autopilot hardware, has left the company to join Zoox, a rival robotaxi firm backed by Amazon.
- Elon Musk has laid off over 10% of Tesla's workforce in 2024, as the company pivots toward autonomous vehicles.
- Tesla has experienced significant executive turnover, with at least eight of Musk's direct reports leaving the company this year.
- Tesla faces competition from other robotaxi firms like Waymo and Zoox, as it aims to mass-produce its self-driving Cybercab by 2027.