- The Washington Times - Tuesday, July 16, 2024

Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Monday said the company’s robotaxi launch event was postponed to let designers put finishing touches on the program.

The billionaire was scant on details while saying he gave designers more time to work on the upcoming robotaxi.

“Requested what I think is an important design change to the front, and extra time allows us to show off a few other things,” Mr. Musk posted on X.

The delay comes after months of speculation about the project. Mr. Musk originally announced an Aug. 8 launch date for the robotaxi, but reports from last week suggest the unveiling will now be in October.

Tesla’s robotaxi program was born from the ashes of the company’s inexpensive car project, which was canceled in April. Mr. Musk announced the pivot into robotaxis soon after the cheaper car was axed.

Tesla has given few details about the robotaxi project’s launch date and fleet number. The electric vehicle giant doesn’t have the proper permits to start a fully autonomous taxi service in the U.S., but it aims to get some robotaxis rolling in Shanghai, China.

• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.

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