Elon Musk, the visionary CEO of Tesla, has made a bold prediction: buses will become a relic of the past as his company’s full self-driving (FSD) technology advances. In a recent social media post, Musk argued that the need for buses will disappear when Tesla achieves true autonomous driving capability with its FSD software. He pointed out that electric buses often require diesel generators for heating during cold weather, indicating insufficient battery capacity.
Musk envisions a future where Tesla vehicles will offer point-to-point transportation at a cost similar to bus tickets. He believes that Tesla’s robotaxi fleet, a combination of individual Tesla owners and company-owned vehicles, will transform the transportation landscape. Imagine summoning a Tesla through the Tesla App, similar to hailing a ride with Uber or Airbnb, but with autonomous driving capabilities.
Tesla’s FSD software currently requires driver supervision, but Musk plans to transition to unsupervised operation in the near future. He expects to unveil a dedicated robotaxi offering in October.
While Musk is known for ambitious timelines and sometimes overestimating the capabilities of his products, his vision of a future dominated by autonomous Tesla vehicles has significant implications for the transportation industry. As Tesla continues to refine its FSD technology and expand its robotaxi fleet, the future of public transportation could take a dramatic turn.
