The Tesla Cybercab is not as self-sufficient as the car brand expresses. At least in the first place there are people to remotely control the cars.
The Tesla Cybercab will not rely solely on advanced technology – instead, it will be remotely controlled by humans.
A new report from Deutsche Bank reveals that Tesla's plans for self-driving taxis include a human operator who can take control remotely. This is a security measure that Tesla expects to implement in the early stages of the service.
Elon Musk has previously stated that taxis of the future will not have steering wheels or pedals, and that passengers must be able to relax or sleep during the trip.
Musk has also argued that self-driving cars can become significantly safer than human drivers. – We want to see autonomous cars become 10 times as safe as humans, Musk said during the presentation of the concept.
But according to Deutsche Bank's analysis, Tesla's Cybercab is not as autonomous as it was first presented. Even if the cars drive without a physical driver behind the wheel, a so-called remote operator will be able to monitor the car and intervene if necessary.
According to the German bank, this "remote control release" is intended as a temporary security measure until the technology can stand on its own.
According to the report, which media Silcon mentions, Tesla plans to begin the implementation of remote-controlled operators before 2025. The launch will probably take place in California and Texas, where the first fleets will consist only of Tesla-owned corvettes. The company intends to adapt its capacity in relation to demand and traffic monsters.
The role and responsibilities of the human remote operator are not yet fully elucidated. Tesla has not specified how often or in what situations remote control will be needed.
At the same time, the company is facing regulatory challenges, as current US regulations limit the number of self-supporting chore vehicles that can be deployed. According to current regulations from the US road safety authorities NHTSA, Tesla is only allowed to send up to 2,500 Cybercab cars on the road each year.
Deutsche Bank organized an event on December 5 in New York under the theme of self-driving cars, where Tesla was represented by investment director Travis Axelrod.
Here the new details about the Cybercab were revealed. However, the car brand has not commented further on the content of the report. Deutsche Bank also notes that a remote operator will probably be necessary in the initial period when the cars are on the street. In this way, Tesla will try to shield itself from the criticism that the first accidents will trigger.
