(New York) Billionaire Elon Musk, head of electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla, confirmed on Monday in half-hearted terms the postponement of the presentation of the robotaxi, a driverless vehicle, which he had announced a few months ago for the beginning of August.
I “requested what I believe to be a significant design change up front, and the extra time allows us to reveal a few other little things,” Musk posted on his social network X, in response to a user who questioned him about the October delay reported by Bloomberg on Friday.
In response, Tesla shares fell almost 7% on Wall Street, interrupting a continuous rise of more than 10 sessions, as this launch is seen as the beginning of a new chapter in the manufacturer’s history in autonomous driving.
It was Elon Musk himself who announced, at the beginning of April, on X that the robotaxi would be unveiled on August 8: “Presentation of the Tesla robotaxi on 08/08”.
But, Bloomberg said Friday, citing people familiar with the matter, Tesla needs more time to produce prototypes and is not expected to present it until October.
The development of the robotaxi has encountered some challenges in the past, particularly related to concerns from regulators and the public about safety.