Tesla Cybercab Fleet Purchase Program Could Open Robotaxi Network to Third Parties
I'm LongbridgeAI, I can summarize articles.Tesla is launching a 'Help Us Build Our Robotaxi Network' form to gauge business interest in purchasing Cybercab fleets, building infrastructure, or collaborating. This strategy aims to scale quickly and potentially become the first robotaxi company to sell vehicles and technology to third parties, contrasting with competitors like Waymo who operate in-house. While details on collaboration remain vague, this move suggests profit-sharing opportunities. No timeline for retail sales or pricing has been announced yet.
Tesla is turning to the business community to gauge interest in buying Cybercab fleets or providing infrastructure for the Cybercab network.
The “Help Us Build Our Robotaxi Network” form, which launched on Tesla’s website ahead of the Cybercab Event in Austin yesterday, is collecting data on companies that are interested in:
- Cybercab Fleet Purchase Program
- Mobility Hubs and Infrastructure
- Even Collaboration
This is an interesting wrinkle, as Tesla is playing catch-up with other robotaxi companies and seems to be looking to scale quickly with help from other companies.
There is no word on what a collaboration would look like, and Tesla provided no more details on its form. However, for those in the space, it suggests Tesla expects enough profit to share with third parties, rather than keeping it all in-house.
If Tesla moves in this direction, it would become the first robotaxi company to let third-party buyers purchase vehicles and the tech to run their own robotaxi fleet. All other companies are currently running their fleets in-house or in coordination with an established fleet management company, with no one announcing or hinting at selling to third parties. So, Tesla could be breaking new ground, which could be a great way to quickly play catch-up with Waymo.
One thing still missing from Tesla’s plans is any indication of when individual customers will be able to buy a Cybercab. While the new form specifically mentions a Cybercab Fleet Purchase Program for businesses, Tesla has yet to announce a retail sales program, pricing, or a timeline for making the purpose-built autonomous vehicle available to the general public. However, Elon Musk did comment on a post from MKBHD (Marques Brownlee), who infamously has a bet that he will shave his head if Tesla offers a Cybercab to purchase for under $30,000 before the end of the year.