Robotaxi Design Two Tesla Seats Confusing Experts

Tesla's Cybercab desan is less promising (photo: dock. tesla)

JAKARTA The disclosure of Tesla's robotaxi with a sports coup design with a two-seater capacity has confused investors and analysts. This vehicle is far from the concept of ordinary taxis that generally have room for some passengers and baggage.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk introduced a prototype robotaxi called Cybercab at a major event near Los Angeles, Thursday evening 10 October. Musk announced that Cybercab will be produced starting in 2026 at a price of less than US$30,000 per unit. However, he did not explain how this robotaxi will meet the needs of traveling families or passengers heading to the airport, thus raising speculation that this design might be aimed at a very specialized market segment.

This decision saw Tesla's stock drop by 9% on Friday, October 11 as investors were disappointed with the design and lack of financial details regarding this robotaxi.

"When people think of taxis, they imagine a vehicle that can carry more than two people," said Jonathan Elfalan, director of vehicle testing at warungs.com.

Experts argue that robotaxi should imitate ordinary taxis with a wide space and high design. Although Musk also showed the futuristic robovan concept capable of transporting up to 20 people, he did not provide details of when the rover would be available.

According to Sandeep Rao, senior researcher at Leverage Shares, the market for two-door robotaxi is very limited, especially considering two-door vehicles account for only 2% of car sales in the US, outside SUVs and pickups.

Although Musk promises a cheaper Cybercab operating fee than mass transportation, at a cost of 20 cents per mile, he doesn't explain how Tesla will mass-produce Cybercab or get regulatory approval.

John Krafcik, former CEO of Waymo, criticized Tesla's design for being more "playing than serious," and highlighted the challenge of accessibility for elderly passengers and people with disabilities with the two-door design.

Tesla faces a huge challenge in dominating the new and highly regulated robotaxi market.