Key facts
- Tesla is soliciting interest from businesses for its Cybercab robotaxi network.
- The company is exploring options beyond solely operating its own fleet.
- Potential partners can express interest in purchasing fleets or providing infrastructure.
- Tesla's past vision involved Tesla owners earning money by renting out their vehicles.
Tesla has released an interest form for businesses looking to purchase Cybercab fleets or provide infrastructure for its autonomous vehicle network. This move suggests a potential shift in strategy, moving beyond a solely in-house robotaxi operation to collaborating with third-party fleet operators.
The form, released ahead of Tesla's Cybercab event, indicates the company's long-term plans for scaling its autonomous vehicle aspirations. While not a definitive commitment to selling to third parties, it signals Tesla's intent to broaden its operational reach.
Previously, CEO Elon Musk had often discussed a vision where personally owned Teslas with self-driving capabilities could be rented out by their owners. This concept, mentioned as early as 2016 and elaborated on during Autonomy Day in 2019, aimed to create a ride-sharing network similar to Uber's model. However, this vision did not fully materialize as initially planned.
Instead, Tesla has focused on testing and operating its own robotaxi fleet, initially with Model Y vehicles and now with the purpose-built Cybercab. The new interest form, which mentions helping Tesla build its robotaxi network, suggests the company sees potential in involving external companies.
Interested parties are presented with several options, including purchasing Cybercab fleets, establishing mobility hubs and infrastructure, collaborating on events, or proposing other arrangements. This move could accelerate market saturation by enabling smaller players to enter the fleet management business.
Companies like Moove, an African fintech startup that manages Waymo's fleet in several U.S. cities and plans to operate its own autonomous vehicles, are already active in the fleet management space. Other partners Uber has worked with include Avomo, New Horizon, Avis, and Hertz.