Reference News Network, March 14 report: According to the website of the U.S. "Wall Street Journal" on March 12, Tesla's first new model in years rolled off the production line last month at its super factory in Austin, Texas, where employees wearing safety helmets and high-visibility vests crowded the scene - the company hopes that this is just the first of millions of the same cars in the future.
Tesla has celebrated such moments before, but never a vehicle like the Cybercab. This vehicle has no steering wheel or pedals. Company executives said that when the car starts mass production in April this year, it will be a decisive test for Tesla's plan to move away from traditional automakers, as well as a test of U.S. safety regulations.
The Cybercab is designed specifically for autonomous driving with Tesla's full self-driving software. Tesla said it will use the Cybercab for its driverless ride-sharing service and sell it to taxi fleet operators and the general public. One day in the future, the general public may also choose to add their private vehicles to the company's ride-sharing app. According to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, the car's price may be below $30,000.
Although Tesla previously pioneered a new field with electric vehicles, selling a vehicle without standard control devices is unprecedented in the automotive industry. Musk said that the Cybercab and the broader deployment of its full self-driving software are crucial to the company's plan to transition to the autonomous vehicle and humanoid robot industries.
Musk has placed the Cybercab above the development of new models, even canceling two models, striving to transform into an artificial intelligence and robotics giant. Competing with traditional automakers such as Volkswagen and BYD in China is no longer part of Tesla's business plan.
Musk told investors in January this year: "There is no turning back here; this car either can drive autonomously or it cannot."
According to Andrew Perpetuo, an analyst at Morgan Stanley, the sales of Tesla's Cybercabs in the coming years will not be high, but will be used for the company's own autonomous ride-sharing service.
Perpetuo said, "I think consumers need time to get used to buying cars without a steering wheel."
Informed sources said that Tesla is designing production lines that can produce hundreds of Cybercabs per week. At the Austin Super Factory, Tesla is expanding its workforce, introducing new equipment, and plans to start mass production of the Cybercab in April this year.
Tesla plans to use most of the Cybercabs for its currently limited operations of the autonomous ride-sharing service.
Tesla needs approval from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to sell the Cybercab, as the car lacks a steering wheel, pedals, and rearview mirrors. The NHTSA can authorize automakers to sell vehicles that do not fully meet the regulations, but the annual limit is 2,500 vehicles.
Musk said that Tesla plans to produce 2 million Cybercabs per year and expects the model to have a material impact on Tesla's finances by the end of 2026.
Tesla needs the Cybercab to be a hit. Although Tesla's energy and service businesses grew last year, the company still relies on car sales to fund its next phase of growth. Car sales accounted for more than 73% of Tesla's total revenue last year. (Translated by Lin Zhaohui)
Original: toutiao.com/article/7617041324872614415/
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