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Tesla's head designer, Franz von Holzhausen, envisions a future where the company's Robotaxi renders driver's licenses unnecessary. After a decade of development, the autonomous, steering wheel-free vehicle aims to revolutionize mobility.
Tesla's Vision for a Driver's License-Free Future
The idea of a driver's license will be rendered obsolete, according to Franz von Holzhausen, head designer of Tesla, after ten years of fantasizing about creating the autonomous, pedal-less Robotaxi without a steering wheel.
That "I desperately don’t want my kids to have to worry about getting a driver’s license, or driving at all" is something that von Holzhausen discusses, according to TechCrunch.
The Debate Between Robotaxi and Model 2
Franz subtly urged Elon Musk to go with the more conventional of the two mass-market vehicles that Tesla plans to construct on its so-called "next-gen vehicle" architecture for inexpensive electric transportation. "If we go down a path of having no steering wheel, and FSD is not ready, we won't be able to put them on the road," Musk was said to have said.
Elon was initially hesitant to reveal the standard Model 2, which is essentially a smaller Model Y with pedals and a steering wheel, prior to the unveiling of Tesla's futuristic autonomous Robotaxi.
Tesla's Commitment to Autonomy
"Let me be clear. This vehicle must be designed as a clean robotaxi. We're going to take that risk. It's my fault if it f--ks up. But we are not going to design some sort of amphibian frog that's a halfway car. We are all in on autonomy."
Notebookcheck reports that Elon abruptly decided to reveal the Robotaxi during last year's EV sales dip, sticking with the original plan. This came after Franz managed to develop a Model 2 that is just as futuristic. Elon eventually reneged.
Investor Optimism Ahead of Robotaxi Unveiling
Investors had reportedly expected Elon Musk to do nothing less than this since they have pushed up Tesla's stock price in the run-up to today's Robotaxi event, despite the fact that the company lacks the necessary governmental approvals for a fully autonomous car.
As seen in the leaked prototypes, the self-driving car would allegedly have two seats and butterfly wing doors. It will join Tesla's existing CyberCab ride-share fleet and be available for a price.
