Tesla reveals what its Uber-like robotaxi app would look like
Tesla just gave us a peek at its planned ride-hailing interface.
Elon Musk's company is emphasizing its self-driving and robotaxi businesses as EV demand softens.
Tesla hasn't said when it would launch a ride-hailing service.
Tesla on Tuesday released more details about its planned launch of an Uber-like ride-hailing service.
The service would live inside the Tesla app, which Tesla owners can already use for almost all vehicle functionality, the company said.
Tesla's Q1 earnings presentation contained screenshots illustrating a moody black-and-white interface that would allow riders to summon a supposedly driverless vehicle, set the car's interior temperature, and track its location on a 3D map.
On a call with investors, Musk provided a bit more detail about Tesla's plans for the robo-taxi business, comparing it to a combination between Airbnb and Uber.
"There will be some number of cars that Tesla owns itself and operates, a bunch where they are owned by the end user," Musk said.
The result, Musk said, will be "tens of millions of cars" in a self-driving fleet that is providing Tesla with a constant flow of data and feedback when things go wrong.
Tesla has placed more focus on the potential value of its self-driving software and robotaxi business as softening EV demand pinches sales and price cuts take a bite out of Tesla's mighty automotive profit margins. Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced earlier in April that the company would reveal a long-awaited robotaxi in August.
Despite pushback from safety groups and high-profile legal troubles, Tesla has pushed forward with new iterations of its driver-assist software, which it calls "Full-Self Driving" or FSD. Tesla has also said it is working on ride-hailing functionality to be available sometime in the future.
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