Musk expresses confidence in robotaxi plans to CNBC
"Will operate cautiously at first... gradually increasing from 10 vehicles"
Also reveals plans to remain Tesla CEO in five years
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, announced plans to launch a fully autonomous robotaxi (driverless taxi) service by the end of June. On the 20th (local time), Musk stated in an interview with CNBC, a U.S. business media outlet, "We are currently testing autonomous driving with thousands of vehicles in Austin," and added, "It looks like things will go well in Austin next month."
He said, "Initially, we must operate as cautiously as possible. We could start with 1,000 vehicles on the first day, but that would not be cautious. In the first week, we will start with 10 vehicles, then gradually increase to 20, 30, and 40, and I think we will reach 1,000 vehicles within a few months." He continued, "After that, we will expand to other cities such as San Francisco and Los Angeles in California, and San Antonio in Texas." He also stated, "By the end of next year, hundreds of thousands, or even more than one million, Teslas are expected to be operating autonomously in the United States." He emphasized the need for "unified federal regulations for autonomous vehicles."
When the host asked, 'Will all Tesla owners be able to experience 'Level 4'?a stage where there is no driver intervention at all?through a software update?' Musk replied, "Yes," and added, "We will create a model similar to a combination of Uber and Airbnb." He explained, "If you are a Tesla owner, you can add or remove your vehicle from the pool (of shared vehicles), and like with Airbnb, you can lend your car to others when you are not using it." He continued, "Instead of leaving your car idle in a parking lot, your car will be able to earn money for you."
Meanwhile, prior to this, Musk attended the Qatar Economic Forum held in Doha, Qatar, via video conference, and regarding his political activities, said, "I will significantly reduce my political spending," adding, "I think I have done enough." Musk had previously publicly declared his support for Trump during the last U.S. presidential election and donated $250 million (about 348.5 billion won).
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, attended via video conference at the Qatar Economic Forum held in Doha, Qatar, on the 20th (local time). Photo by AFP Yonhap News
Musk addressed the terror attacks targeting Tesla owners due to his political activities, stating, "Enormous violence has been committed against me and my company," and continued, "Who are these people and why did they do this? Damaging someone else's car and threatening to kill me is an evil act. They should go to jail. We will come after you."
The moderator, Mishal Husain of Bloomberg, questioned Musk about conflicts of interest during his tenure as Secretary of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), as well as controversies surrounding the Trump administration's reduction of foreign aid. When asked, "How often do you speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin?" Musk replied, "I do not speak with President Putin. I only had a video call with him once, five years ago."
When Musk asked, "Why do you think I speak with President Putin?" the moderator referenced a report by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that covered related suspicions. Musk then expressed his displeasure, saying, "WSJ is the worst publication on Earth." He added, "All I did was post something directed at Putin on X (formerly Twitter)," and called it a typical "lie from legacy media."
When asked, "Will you still be CEO of Tesla five years from now?" he answered, "Yes, unless I die." Regarding concerns about declining Tesla sales, he responded, "We have achieved a turnaround," and explained, "We have already recovered sales volume, and demand is strong in all regions except Europe."
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