According to the latest reports from foreign media, the prototype of Tesla's autonomous taxi Robotaxi, which was scheduled to debut in August, "some elements need to be modified". The company plans to postpone the release of the vehicle to October so that the project team has more time to manufacture more prototype cars. According to market feedback, Tesla closed down 8.44% last Friday, with its market value evaporating $70 billion overnight.
It is reported that the idea of launching an autonomous taxi service has been brewing at Tesla for many years, at least dating back to the second chapter of Musk's "Big Plan" written for Tesla in 2016. At a meeting at the end of February this year, Musk directly approved the plan to prioritize the development of the Robotaxi project in the research and development of a cheaper electric vehicle "Model 2" and the Robotaxi plan.
Industry insiders believe that the delay of Robotaxi suggests that Tesla is facing challenges, as the company is currently testing related camera sensor tests in the Northern California region. At the same time, the competition for the "number one player" in the autonomous taxi Robotaxi service market is becoming increasingly fierce, and large-scale investment and seizing market space will also become the key to the next round of competition.