Musk remains silent on key Robotaxi features as Tesla self-driving car unveiling delayed until October

FINISHED — Tesla fired Henkes last year, who later sued the company, claiming he was fired for voicing safety concerns.
(Photo: Photo by Craig Adderley from Pexels)

Tesla’s highly anticipated robotaxi, a fully autonomous vehicle, continues to spark curiosity and skepticism, as CEO Elon Musk remains tight-lipped on crucial details. During a recent earnings call, Musk sidestepped several questions about the robotaxi’s design, including whether it would feature traditional controls like a steering wheel and pedals. That omission leaves a significant question mark over the timeline and regulatory path for the vehicle’s rollout.

Musk’s evasive answers come at a time when Tesla’s robotaxi plans have already faced delays, allegedly to refine the prototype. The uncertainty surrounding the inclusion of steering wheels and pedals is crucial. A vehicle without these controls would require exemptions from Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), which could add months or even years to regulatory approval. Conversely, a more conventional design could speed up the process, allowing for a quicker time to market.

Tesla’s letter to shareholders acknowledges the need for regulatory approval, stating, “While the timeline for Robotaxi deployment is dependent on technological advancements and regulatory approval, we are actively working on this opportunity given the outsized potential value.” Even so, Musk stopped short of specifying what regulatory exemptions Tesla would seek. When asked directly whether he would seek FMVSS exemptions, Musk deflected the question, comparing Tesla’s “generalized solution” to Waymo’s “localized” solution, which he described as “quite fragile.”

Currently, the FMVSS requires basic human controls in vehicles, including the steering wheel and pedals. Companies can apply for exemptions, but the government limits them to 2,500 per company per year. That restriction poses a significant hurdle for any company, including Tesla, that wants to deploy autonomous vehicles widely. Legislative efforts to lift that cap have stalled in Congress, mired in debates over liability and the technology’s readiness.

To date, only Nuro has been granted an FMVSS exemption, using it for a limited deployment of driverless delivery robots in Texas and California. Cruise, a GM subsidiary, applied for an exemption for its Origin shuttle but did not receive approval. Similarly, Amazon subsidiary Zoox claimed its autonomous shuttle was “self-certified,” prompting an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In contrast, Waymo’s vehicles, while operating without safety drivers, still have traditional controls, avoiding the need for exemptions.

The lack of clear regulatory guidance puts Tesla in a difficult position. Design drawings have hinted at a steering-wheelless vehicle, but the regulatory path remains uncharted. Critics have called the robotaxi vaporware, pointing out that while Waymo provides nearly 50,000 passenger rides each week, Musk’s promises remain vague and unfulfilled. Despite this, Musk maintains that Tesla is fundamentally an AI company, not a traditional automaker, emphasizing his vision of a driverless future.

The next major update to the robotaxi is expected on October 10, the same date Tesla plans to unveil the vehicle. Musk hinted at announcing “one more thing” at the event, suggesting possible additional reveals. The delay from the originally scheduled August reveal has been attributed to Musk requesting a major design change to the front of the vehicle.

In recent years, Tesla has focused on creating a vehicle designed from the ground up to be autonomous, internally called the “Robotaxi.” While Musk says Tesla remains committed to delivering autonomous driving capabilities through software updates to existing vehicles, the company is also investing in this new driverless design. Hints about the vehicle suggest it won’t have a steering wheel or pedals and could have a “Cybertruck”-like design.