Robotaxi experts suggest Elon Musk will try to “pretend” the network recorder in June
2015 – 2021 Robotaxi Company Waymo’s former CEO John Krafcik knows one or two things about the driverless car industry. People stood up and listened when he said Tesla CEO Elon Musk might use some extremely dark tactics to fake the launch of the Robotaxi service in Austin, Texas this summer.
This is exactly what happened in a new interview with Krafcik, who was published in German Magazine Manager and browsed in today’s English blog. The interviews have attracted attention in places like Electrek and Autopian, which explains how Musk can truly match the reality of engaging in security business in Cybercab Robotaxi’s stated goals.
According to Autopian’s English language translation of Krafcik’s ideas:
If a company takes building a secure robotics business seriously, Robotaxi doesn’t look like a prototype like this. Severe robots will prove safety first. The manufacturer will place the sensors in the best position on the roof as well as on the sides and corners of the vehicle. These sensors will also have cleaning and drying functions – wipers, compressed air nozzles, etc. A serious robot wouldn’t have the design of a low-humidity coupe, either. This design makes it difficult for people to enter and exit easily. Not everyone can use these Robotaxi vehicles in comfort.
Some of these things refer to when Musk held a glittering unveiling at Warner Bros. Film Studio in Burbank, California in October. If you are posting a robot service, why make the vehicle so small with only two seats? How safe is this design?
But Krafcik’s boundaries are now attracting all the attention, and now questioning what tricks Musk might try to take. By the way, “There are many ways to fake robot services.”
How could anyone question Musk’s integrity when it comes to what he might release in Texas this summer? Well, the billionaire oligarch has extended the truth before, including in the preview of the big event. You may remember Musk’s activities included many of his Optimus Prime, which he has always suggested was acted autonomously. The problem is that the robots in the event are actually remotely controlled in most cases.
Musk has a long history that blurs the line between performing and actually delivering real products. Remember in January 2024, Musk released an Optimus Prime video, just like his robot can fold a shirt? In a very short period of time, this is a considerable development. Except it is fake. As you can see in the GIF below, someone actually operates the robot remotely on the screen.
It seems that many people even had the first “robot” demonstration of memory-crazy Musk even when they just lifted up a person dancing in a tights in 2021. The billionaire’s promises are usually ahead of what he can really hand over.
Who knows what musk will produce in June? As other sites have pointed out, Musk may have completely missed the promised deadline. This is not surprising, especially since he is very busy demolishing the federal government now. But we have to wait and see what the richest people in the world can offer.
As electronek explains:
I did share Krafcik’s concerns about Tesla’s “forgetting” its robot releases – although “forgetting” may not be the correct term. That simply doesn’t have what Musk has been promising for years to Tesla customers, and that’s what the vehicles they purchased since 2016 will be autonomous without driver supervision.
Robotic companies like Waymo are currently operating, so this is not an impossible problem. The question is whether Musk can deliver on his promise. People like Krafcik seem to be skeptical. So we have to take a look.
