Tesla is dominating the electric vehicle industry by going against the grain of legacy automakers: developing its own technology, selling directly to consumers and managing supply chain issues that have slowed down would-be rivals.
And now it's turning to robotaxis.
The automaker based in Texas expects to reach volume production of a dedicated robotaxi model — built without a steering wheel or pedals — by 2024, CEO Elon Musk said on the automaker's first-quarter earnings call last week.
The goal of the new vehicle, which would rely on Tesla's still-incomplete Full Self-Driving software, is to reach the lowest transportation cost per mile and even compete with public transportation, Musk said.