Khosrowshahi's Concerns About Tesla's Robotaxi Fleet
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has expressed concerns about Tesla's plan to launch a robotaxi fleet. He believes that car owners may be hesitant to allow their vehicles to be used by strangers, and that Tesla may face challenges in meeting demand during peak hours.
Khosrowshahi also highlighted the differences between building cars and operating a taxi fleet. He noted that Uber has spent 15 years and billions of dollars developing an efficient system for matching riders with drivers, pricing rides, and addressing issues like passenger safety and lost items.
Despite his concerns, Khosrowshahi remains open to a future partnership with Tesla. He believes that autonomous cars will eventually function like food chains, utilizing both direct and third-party channels to maximize utilization.
However, Elon Musk has stated that Tesla will not allow third parties to operate its vehicles autonomously. This could potentially hinder Uber's ability to partner with Tesla on its robotaxi project.
Tesla is expected to unveil its dedicated robotaxi product on October 10th. The event was originally scheduled for August 8th, but was delayed to allow for further improvements to the robotaxi and to prepare additional announcements.