Latest news with #ModelYs
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Business Standard
10 hours ago
- Automotive
- Business Standard
Tesla joins Austin's self-driving race with launch of Robotaxi service
Austin is known for live music, Texas' premier public university and being home to tech companies. It is also becoming a laboratory for autonomous vehicles. Driverless Waymo taxis, owned by Google's parent company, regularly drop off diners at Austin's famous barbecue joints. Box-shaped, four-wheeled robots operated by Avride, a start-up working with Uber Eats, deliver Thai takeout to customers downtown. Zoox, owned by Amazon, and Volkswagen are separately testing autonomous taxis here. Tesla, the electric car company based in Austin, recently joined the party, rolling out self-driving Model Ys ahead of a taxi service that is expected to begin offering rides as soon as Sunday. The vehicles, which the company calls Robotaxis, are part of an audacious effort by Elon Musk, Tesla's chief executive, to leap ahead of Waymo, which dominates a nascent business that someday could be worth tens of billions of dollars and perhaps much more. But the busy streets of Austin show that Tesla will face significant competition and other challenges. It will have to engage in painstaking experimentation to perfect its technology, which some autonomous-driving experts have criticised for having fewer safeguards than those operated by Waymo and other companies. Also, Tesla is starting from behind. Waymo has been driving paying passengers for years in Phoenix, San Francisco and Los Angeles, and started its commercial service in Austin in March in partnership with Uber. Waymo said on Wednesday that it was applying for a permit from New York City to offer rides with a person behind the wheel. A change in state law would be required for fully autonomous rides. A small fleet of Tesla Robotaxis will begin carrying passengers in Austin on June 22, Musk said on X last week but added the company may delay the start of the service. But analysts expect the cars will be available only to company employees or invited guests. The service will probably not be available to the general public for several months, analysts said. Tesla is adapting its most advanced driver assistance software, already offered as an option on the cars it sells, to operate without human intervention. If this approach works, the company could quickly roll out driverless taxis around the world. Musk has said a software update could allow hundreds of thousands or even millions of existing Teslas to operate as autonomous taxis, making cheap driverless rides ubiquitous. But the approach Tesla is taking is unusual. Waymo and other companies working to offer self-driving taxi services have been developing their technologies for years, painstakingly mapping streets and training their software to avoid hitting pedestrians, cyclists, garbage trucks, fire engines and all manner of other things found on public roads. 'FSD is an immature system,' said Matthew Wansley, a professor at Cardozo School of Law in New York, referring to what Tesla calls its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software. Tesla did not respond to a request for comment. Another challenge for Tesla is that its self-driving system is under investigation by federal officials. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is looking into whether Tesla's technology was responsible for crashes in conditions where the road was obscured by fog, dust, bright light or darkness. One crash led to the death of a pedestrian.
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
Tesla Model Y: Six- and seven-seat options closer to Australia
Electric automaker Tesla looks set to add both six- and seven-seat Model Ys – rumoured to include right-hand drive production for the first time – after a recent firmware update spilled the beans. Reports from Greentheonly on the Elon Musk-owned social media platform X confirmed a six-seat Model Y was shown as part of the 2025.2 update. The X account has a history of correct calls on upcoming Tesla details, suggesting the more accommodating Model Y won't be restricted to the Chinese market only as previously speculated. Tesla currently sources all Australian-market models from China, and the discovery means a six- or seven-seat Model Y could be offered locally – the first seven-seat vehicle from the automaker here since the larger Model X SUV left showrooms in late 2020. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. That would make it one of only a few seven-seat electric vehicles (EV) on sale in Australia, joining the likes of the Kia EV9, Mercedes-Benz EQB and Volvo EX90. CarExpert has reached out to Tesla Australia for official comment. Tesla previously offered the Model Y with seven seats in North America, but only on vehicles made in the United States, limiting production to left-hand drive before it was dropped altogether in 2023. The upcoming six-seat version would reportedly use a 2x2x2 seat layout with a centre console potentially splitting occupants, while seven-seat versions offered in the US had a 2x3x2 arrangement. Speculation has suggested room for the new seating configurations would come with an increase to the recently facelifted Model Y's 2890mm wheelbase – and current 4790mm length. This could counter criticism the previous seven-seat option offered overseas was somewhat limited in space, which may have contributed to its low take-up and eventual removal from the options list. Tesla's website shows the (pre-update) Model Y with seven seats, with access to the third row via a lever to tumble-tilt the second-row seats forward. The Model X is currently offered in North America in a choice of five-, six and seven-seat configurations without any changes to its wheelbase or overall length. Yet the 'Falcon' doors on the Model X offer easier entry and exit where the Model Y has conventionally opening doors – and at 5057mm, the Model X is a substantial 267mm longer. The Model Y was the best-selling EV in both Australia and the world in 2024, and despite significant sales decline for the Tesla brand here, remains the country's most popular EV year-to-date (end of May 2025). MORE: Everything Tesla Model Y Content originally sourced from: Electric automaker Tesla looks set to add both six- and seven-seat Model Ys – rumoured to include right-hand drive production for the first time – after a recent firmware update spilled the beans. Reports from Greentheonly on the Elon Musk-owned social media platform X confirmed a six-seat Model Y was shown as part of the 2025.2 update. The X account has a history of correct calls on upcoming Tesla details, suggesting the more accommodating Model Y won't be restricted to the Chinese market only as previously speculated. Tesla currently sources all Australian-market models from China, and the discovery means a six- or seven-seat Model Y could be offered locally – the first seven-seat vehicle from the automaker here since the larger Model X SUV left showrooms in late 2020. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. That would make it one of only a few seven-seat electric vehicles (EV) on sale in Australia, joining the likes of the Kia EV9, Mercedes-Benz EQB and Volvo EX90. CarExpert has reached out to Tesla Australia for official comment. Tesla previously offered the Model Y with seven seats in North America, but only on vehicles made in the United States, limiting production to left-hand drive before it was dropped altogether in 2023. The upcoming six-seat version would reportedly use a 2x2x2 seat layout with a centre console potentially splitting occupants, while seven-seat versions offered in the US had a 2x3x2 arrangement. Speculation has suggested room for the new seating configurations would come with an increase to the recently facelifted Model Y's 2890mm wheelbase – and current 4790mm length. This could counter criticism the previous seven-seat option offered overseas was somewhat limited in space, which may have contributed to its low take-up and eventual removal from the options list. Tesla's website shows the (pre-update) Model Y with seven seats, with access to the third row via a lever to tumble-tilt the second-row seats forward. The Model X is currently offered in North America in a choice of five-, six and seven-seat configurations without any changes to its wheelbase or overall length. Yet the 'Falcon' doors on the Model X offer easier entry and exit where the Model Y has conventionally opening doors – and at 5057mm, the Model X is a substantial 267mm longer. The Model Y was the best-selling EV in both Australia and the world in 2024, and despite significant sales decline for the Tesla brand here, remains the country's most popular EV year-to-date (end of May 2025). MORE: Everything Tesla Model Y Content originally sourced from: Electric automaker Tesla looks set to add both six- and seven-seat Model Ys – rumoured to include right-hand drive production for the first time – after a recent firmware update spilled the beans. Reports from Greentheonly on the Elon Musk-owned social media platform X confirmed a six-seat Model Y was shown as part of the 2025.2 update. The X account has a history of correct calls on upcoming Tesla details, suggesting the more accommodating Model Y won't be restricted to the Chinese market only as previously speculated. Tesla currently sources all Australian-market models from China, and the discovery means a six- or seven-seat Model Y could be offered locally – the first seven-seat vehicle from the automaker here since the larger Model X SUV left showrooms in late 2020. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. That would make it one of only a few seven-seat electric vehicles (EV) on sale in Australia, joining the likes of the Kia EV9, Mercedes-Benz EQB and Volvo EX90. CarExpert has reached out to Tesla Australia for official comment. Tesla previously offered the Model Y with seven seats in North America, but only on vehicles made in the United States, limiting production to left-hand drive before it was dropped altogether in 2023. The upcoming six-seat version would reportedly use a 2x2x2 seat layout with a centre console potentially splitting occupants, while seven-seat versions offered in the US had a 2x3x2 arrangement. Speculation has suggested room for the new seating configurations would come with an increase to the recently facelifted Model Y's 2890mm wheelbase – and current 4790mm length. This could counter criticism the previous seven-seat option offered overseas was somewhat limited in space, which may have contributed to its low take-up and eventual removal from the options list. Tesla's website shows the (pre-update) Model Y with seven seats, with access to the third row via a lever to tumble-tilt the second-row seats forward. The Model X is currently offered in North America in a choice of five-, six and seven-seat configurations without any changes to its wheelbase or overall length. Yet the 'Falcon' doors on the Model X offer easier entry and exit where the Model Y has conventionally opening doors – and at 5057mm, the Model X is a substantial 267mm longer. The Model Y was the best-selling EV in both Australia and the world in 2024, and despite significant sales decline for the Tesla brand here, remains the country's most popular EV year-to-date (end of May 2025). MORE: Everything Tesla Model Y Content originally sourced from: Electric automaker Tesla looks set to add both six- and seven-seat Model Ys – rumoured to include right-hand drive production for the first time – after a recent firmware update spilled the beans. Reports from Greentheonly on the Elon Musk-owned social media platform X confirmed a six-seat Model Y was shown as part of the 2025.2 update. The X account has a history of correct calls on upcoming Tesla details, suggesting the more accommodating Model Y won't be restricted to the Chinese market only as previously speculated. Tesla currently sources all Australian-market models from China, and the discovery means a six- or seven-seat Model Y could be offered locally – the first seven-seat vehicle from the automaker here since the larger Model X SUV left showrooms in late 2020. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. That would make it one of only a few seven-seat electric vehicles (EV) on sale in Australia, joining the likes of the Kia EV9, Mercedes-Benz EQB and Volvo EX90. CarExpert has reached out to Tesla Australia for official comment. Tesla previously offered the Model Y with seven seats in North America, but only on vehicles made in the United States, limiting production to left-hand drive before it was dropped altogether in 2023. The upcoming six-seat version would reportedly use a 2x2x2 seat layout with a centre console potentially splitting occupants, while seven-seat versions offered in the US had a 2x3x2 arrangement. Speculation has suggested room for the new seating configurations would come with an increase to the recently facelifted Model Y's 2890mm wheelbase – and current 4790mm length. This could counter criticism the previous seven-seat option offered overseas was somewhat limited in space, which may have contributed to its low take-up and eventual removal from the options list. Tesla's website shows the (pre-update) Model Y with seven seats, with access to the third row via a lever to tumble-tilt the second-row seats forward. The Model X is currently offered in North America in a choice of five-, six and seven-seat configurations without any changes to its wheelbase or overall length. Yet the 'Falcon' doors on the Model X offer easier entry and exit where the Model Y has conventionally opening doors – and at 5057mm, the Model X is a substantial 267mm longer. The Model Y was the best-selling EV in both Australia and the world in 2024, and despite significant sales decline for the Tesla brand here, remains the country's most popular EV year-to-date (end of May 2025). MORE: Everything Tesla Model Y Content originally sourced from:
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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Business Standard
Musk reveals Tesla robotaxi rollout plans: What is it, how does it work?
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced the tentative rollout of the company's long-awaited robotaxi service, starting June 22 in Austin, Texas. Musk made the statement in response to a query on social media platform X, adding that the launch date could change depending on developments. "We are being super paranoid about safety, so the date could shift," he said. Last week, Musk shared a video showing a Tesla vehicle navigating Austin autonomously, without a driver behind the wheel. The footage signals that Tesla is moving closer to launching its self-driving taxi service. Musk also revealed that a Tesla vehicle will, for the first time, 'fully drive itself from the factory end of line all the way to a customer house' on June 28. What is a robotaxi? A robotaxi is a fully autonomous vehicle designed for ride-sharing without a human driver. These vehicles utilise a combination of AI, sensors, cameras, radar and LiDAR technology to interpret and respond to their environment. Many robotaxis, including Tesla's, run on electric power or hybrid systems, offering both technological advancement and environmental sustainability. Benefits of robotaxi services Robotaxis are expected to transform urban transport by lowering operational costs, improving safety, and offering on-demand service round the clock. By eliminating human error, these vehicles can potentially reduce road accidents. Their electric design also contributes to lowering emissions and easing urban pollution levels. Inside Tesla's robotaxi plans The Tesla robotaxi seen in the recent video is a Model Y with 'robotaxi' branding, equipped with Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) software. 'With the software update, it will become autonomous,' Musk said. He clarified that the vehicles set to operate in Austin are standard production Model Ys with no physical changes. This model is distinct from Tesla's 'cybercab', unveiled in October 2024, which is a separate, purpose-built autonomous vehicle still under development. In a recent CNBC interview, Musk said Tesla's robotaxi will operate under remote supervision and be confined to geofenced zones considered safe for autonomous navigation. The initial rollout will involve 10 robotaxis, with expansion planned across cities such as Los Angeles, San Antonio, and San Francisco. Facing off with Waymo and Cruise Tesla's robotaxi will enter a competitive landscape currently led by Alphabet's Waymo, which has offered self-driving cab services in cities including Austin since 2020. Waymo handles about 250,000 trips weekly using custom-modified Chrysler Pacifica and Jaguar I-PACE vehicles with advanced sensor arrays. Another key player is Cruise, backed by General Motors. It had begun operating autonomous Chevrolet Bolt EVs in cities like San Francisco and Phoenix before a major accident in 2023 prompted a pause. Cruise is now focused on rebuilding trust and plans to relaunch its Origin robotaxi—a steering wheel- and pedal-free vehicle—for limited use in the near future. Tesla's primary advantage lies in its vertically integrated system. It controls everything from vehicle hardware and software to its charging infrastructure. The use of existing Model Y production units could allow Tesla to scale its robotaxi service faster than rivals, who are reliant on mass-producing bespoke vehicles.
Business Insider
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Business Insider
How Robotaxis, AI, and 170Mn Users Can Reinvent UBER Technologies Stock
The ride-hailing game used to revolve around one key factor: who could recruit enough human drivers to move passengers safely and efficiently at the right price. But in 2025, that narrative has shifted dramatically. In Austin, driverless white Jaguar I-PACEs now ferry Uber (UBER) riders without anyone behind the wheel. Just outside the city, Tesla is preparing to launch a fleet of camera-only robotaxis. Meanwhile, in London, start-up Wayve has gained regulatory approval to navigate the city's complex roads using 'embodied' AI. The race has moved from driver recruitment to deploying and managing autonomous fleets. Confident Investing Starts Here: Amid all this disruption, Uber has taken a surprisingly strategic—and perhaps underappreciated—approach. Rather than building its own sensors and hardware, it's leveraging its strengths: a massive user base, rich data, demand density, optimized routing, and a payments platform trusted by over 170 million users. That focus on core assets, while letting partners handle the hardware, is precisely why I still rate the stock a Buy. Uber Earns the Right to Experiment For years, Uber's financials felt like a rollercoaster—propped up by subsidies and weighed down by stock-based compensation. But Q1 2025 told a different story. Revenue rose 14% year-over-year to $11.5 billion, while adjusted EBITDA surged 35% to $1.9 billion. Even more impressive, both operating and free cash flow hit $2.3 billion, confirming that margin improvements are translating into real cash, not just accounting gains. Just as important, Uber is no longer relying solely on ride-hailing. While Mobility still accounts for just over half of gross bookings, the other half now comes from Delivery, Freight, and a fast-growing advertising unit. That ad segment alone is running at a $1.5 billion annual pace after growing about 60% year-over-year, requiring virtually no additional capital. This diversification matters: it buffers Uber against economic swings in travel and commuting, while also funding autonomous tech partnerships without shareholder dilution. Autonomous Excitement for UBER Shareholders Waymo now operates around 100 fully electric Jaguars on the Uber platform in Austin—and according to both companies, those vehicles already complete more trips per day than 99% of the city's human drivers. Autonomy isn't just about cutting labor costs—it's about maximizing utilization beyond human limits. Drivers need breaks; robots don't. The math adds up fast, especially since Uber doesn't own or depreciate those sleek Jaguars—it simply collects a booking fee, while Alphabet picks up the hardware tab. Competition, however, is heating up. Tesla is set to begin a limited rollout of driverless Model Ys on June 22, capitalizing on Texas's flexible regulatory stance. Elon Musk has promised 'thousands' of robotaxis within a year, though federal regulators have already requested safety disclosures. Interestingly, this could actually benefit Uber. If Tesla underprices rides to stimulate adoption, overall trip demand increases, and Uber's algorithm is designed to route users to the vehicle that is cheaper or closer, regardless of who owns it. In that way, the platform profits from competitors' capital investments without having to match them. Developers Need Uber Uber's partner-first strategy is looking smarter with each passing quarter. Running a driverless fleet is massively capital-intensive—lidar systems alone can cost tens of thousands per vehicle, battery supplies are still tight, and companies need an entire depot network for charging and upkeep. Yet all that infrastructure is worthless if the cars are roaming without riders. In autonomous transport, the real bottleneck isn't hardware—it's passengers. Uber already owns the most valuable asset in autonomous mobility: the passengers. Around 28 million trips happen on its platform every day. For any autonomy start-up, partnering with Uber instantly solves the 'cold start' problem—vehicles don't need to roam empty looking for riders. Instead, the app routes them directly to waiting customers. In return, Uber takes its cut, typically a high-teens to mid-twenties percentage of the fare, with zero added capital investment. Layer on advertising, and the upside grows even more compelling. A captive rider staring at a screen in the back of a sleek, electric Jaguar is prime real estate for marketers. Equip those robotaxis with rear-seat displays, and the monetization potential accelerates. Even one ad per 10-minute ride could translate into billions in high-margin revenue by the end of the decade. Plentiful Risks and Real-World Friction As optimistic as the outlook may seem, none of this is a sure thing. A serious robotaxi accident could halt regulatory momentum, just as GM's Cruise experienced when one of its vehicles struck a pedestrian and lost its permits in California. Insurance costs in the U.S. remain steep compared to Uber's international markets, and litigation risk from aggressive plaintiffs' lawyers is always looming. Plus, if Tesla floods city centers with underpriced rides, Uber's take rate could shrink faster than trip volumes grow. Still, Uber's diversified business model offers a buffer. Even if autonomous rollouts stall, the core business is now profitable on its own. And if pricing pressure intensifies, Uber can rely on its growing ad revenue, delivery upsells, and loyalty programs, such as Uber One, to help protect margins and maintain resilience. Uber's Valuation To put these possibilities into a valuation framework, I built a ten-year discounted cash flow model. I project that gross bookings will grow at an average annual rate of 15% through 2028, gradually slowing to 8% as urban markets mature. Adjusted EBITDA margins are expected to expand from the current ~11% to 18% by 2030, driven by a growing contribution from high-margin advertising and fee-based robotaxi services. Applying an 8% weighted average cost of capital and a 3% terminal growth rate, the model yields an estimated equity value of approximately $108 per share. A couple of reality checks reinforce that result. At about 15x forward earnings, the stock trades at a discount to the S&P 500's 28x, despite better cash conversion. UBER's performance against its peers is also impressive, ranking highest on TipRanks' indicators and Smart Score. What is the Prediction for UBER Stock? On Wall Street, UBER stock carries a Strong Buy consensus rating based on 30 Buy, three Hold, and zero Sell ratings over the past three months. UBER's average stock price target of $99 implies approximately 15.5% upside potential over the next twelve months. Uber's Autonomous Advantage and Robotaxi Economics A few years ago, Uber's story hinged on whether part-time drivers could make city life more manageable without wiping out the company's margins. Today, the question has evolved: can removing drivers entirely push profitability to levels few envisioned back in 2017? Uber's decision to rent out its massive rider base to whichever autonomous platform proves safest and most cost-effective looks, for now, like the smartest, most capital-efficient move on the board. The company is generating sustainable profits, funding innovation through operating cash flow, and preserving the flexibility to pivot between partners or renegotiate terms as technology advances. Autonomous taxis won't take over every city street overnight—but the real contest over who profits from them is already underway. And because Uber controls the demand side, it's positioned to earn economic rent, regardless of which lidar, camera, or neural net ultimately powers the vehicle. With shares still trading at traditional software multiples—ignoring the platform's optionality—I'm happy to stay in the back seat with my Buy rating, and let the algorithms do the driving.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Cathie Wood's Ark trims Tesla holdings, sells nearly 50K shares
Cathie Wood's Ark Innovation Fund ETF (ARKK) sold nearly 50,000 Tesla (TSLA) shares last week — valued at $17 million — ahead of the electric vehicle innovator's launch of its robotaxi beta in Austin, Texas, on June 12. Hear expert opinions from Gerber Kawasaki Wealth & Investment Management CEO Ross Gerber and DVx Ventures CEO Jon McNeill as they compare the prospects of a Tesla robotaxi with Waymo's own service. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Morning Brief here. Cathie Wood's Ark Investment trimmed its holdings in Tesla ahead of the EV maker's expected robotaxi rollout. The Ark Innovation ETF sold nearly 50,000 shares last week for an estimated $17 million. And Ark's trades came as Tesla prepares to launch its robotaxi service in Austin next week. Last week, Musk wrote on X that Tesla has been testing self-driving Model Ys in Austin with no incidents. So, some interesting moves given Wood has long been a bull for Tesla's stock, mainly because of her optimism about the EV company's future dominance in the robotaxi business. Shares of Tesla moving to the upside today. I think it's really interesting that we continue to look at the Ark Innovation ETF as such a bellwether for retail in particular. Year to date, the ETF is down about half a percent over the past couple of months, in particular, really struggling. And when you zoom out, obviously, a little bit more success, but of course that's in part due to the over allocation to large cap tech names. Yeah, I was just taking a look at a few of the stats within the components within this Ark Innovation fund. And for ARKK, Tesla still is the outsized waiting, 12.6%, even as of their most recent fact sheet for ARKK, and that has a market value of about $708 million, a little bit over that, actually. And so, all these things considered, about 2 million shares that the fund, at least within ARKK, still holds, and it still is a lot of weight that they could throw around when they do exit or enter or add on to positions within Tesla. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
