Tesla, the electric vehicle and clean energy company founded by Elon Musk, has announced a delay in the launch of its robotaxi service. The service was initially set to be unveiled in August but will now take place in October. This news comes after Tesla reportedly cancelled its small car Model 2 project and decided to focus on developing robotaxis instead.
According to reports from Bloomberg and Reuters, some vehicles for the robotaxi service will be owned and operated by Tesla, while others will be owned by individuals but rented out on Tesla's network. The delay in the launch is said to have been caused by a need for more time to build additional prototypes.
Tesla has been making headlines recently due to its ambitious plans for artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous driving technology. The company has announced its intentions to create an 'AI powerhouse' and transform the industry with its robotaxis, Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology, Optimus humanoid robot, and other future initiatives.
However, some analysts have expressed concerns that the market enthusiasm for Tesla's AI efforts may not be justified. UBS analyst Joseph Spak downgraded Tesla stock to a sell rating on July 12th, citing a lack of visibility and the risk that growth opportunities may materialize on a longer time horizon.
Tesla is currently one of the most expensive stocks in the S&P 500 Index and has surpassed other megacap technology companies in terms of valuation. The stock had been on an 11-day winning streak before its recent slump, which saw it drop by 8.4% on July 12th.
Despite the concerns raised by some analysts, Tesla remains optimistic about its future growth opportunities and continues to invest heavily in AI research and development. The company's automotive segment is predicted to generate $57 per share, with an estimated 3.9 million vehicle deliveries by 2030.
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