Tesla plans to introduce ‘robotaxis’ in 2020

Look out, Uber. Tesla CEO Elon Musk plans to turn the electric car company’s fleet of vehicles into a massive autonomous ride-hailing network.

Musk laid out his vision for the self-driving Tesla network — which he expects to be in operation as early as next year — at a Monday investor event focused on autonomous driving. It’s not the first time he’s floated the idea; he tweeted about Tesla robotaxis earlier this month.

But his timeline and much of the other details about the service should be taken with huge helpings of salt. Competitors that have been testing self-driving taxis for a while couldn’t pull off what Musk is suggesting in the same timeframe.

Musk spelled out a not-so-distant future where Tesla owners could put their cars to work (and earn money) when not using the cars — no humans needed. All Tesla cars are made today with full self-driving capabilities ready to go once government regulation catches up, Musk said.

Musk compared his proposed service to an Uber or Lyft, but with autonomous cars and only available on the Tesla network. Tesla would take 25 percent to 30 percent of the payment for each ride ordered, similar to the cuts taken by other ride-hailing apps. Musk put the cost of including your car on the network at 18 cents per mile.

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Andrea Brown

As the Founder and Editor in Chief of Next News, Andrea Brown is focused on telling stories that are often overlooked. When she's not breaking the latest news, find her listening to the latest music, watching the latest film, or enjoying time with family and friends.