Following the revealing of Tesla’s Cybercab and Robovan final week, the corporate’s lead designer has shared a number of phrases in regards to the design of the distinctive autonomous automobiles—together with the truth that the Robovan may “probably” have been designed to be sufficiently small to suit within a Boring Firm tunnel.
In a video recap of the We, Robotic occasion shared by The Kilowatts on Sunday, host Ryan Levenson interviews Tesla Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen whereas sitting within the new Robovan. When Levenson asks if the Robovan’s measurement is sufficiently small to suit right into a Boring Firm tunnel, the designer responds with a cheeky, enthusiastic “probably,” although he stops wanting really saying whether or not or not that’s a part of Tesla’s plans.
“[The Robovan] solves all of the wants from, principally when you have got a number of teams, if it’s good to carry containers, packages, and all of the wants for mass transportation that aren’t actually solved now,” von Holzhausen stated.
Levenson additionally asks how the 2 automobiles are totally different, to which the lead designer explains that the distinctive two-seater design of the Cybercab was chosen as a result of 95 p.c of ride-shares are taking only one to 2 individuals.
“Robotaxi is designed for, like typically most rides, and that is designed for when you have got greater than six to eight individuals and also you want extra. Or for mass transportation—college buses, common buses within the interior metropolis, wedding ceremony get together, you already know, no matter,” von Holzhausen provides.
The interview is sandwiched between Levenson’s bigger protection of the Cybercab and Robovan unveiling occasion, which was held on Thursday, and he additionally goes on to speak about having the ability to use Waymo already in San Francisco.
You may watch the total interview with Franz beneath, as shared by The Kilowatts.
Teslarati was additionally lucky sufficient to be in attendance for the occasion, and you may take a look at our pictures of the Robovan in addition to our first full trip within the Tesla Cybercab beneath.
Try the “Robovan” from @Tesla
📸: @Teslarati pic.twitter.com/D4es2i9NUe
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) October 11, 2024
🎥: Our FULL first trip within the @Tesla Cybercab pic.twitter.com/6gR7OgKRCz
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) October 11, 2024
“One of many issues we needed to do, and we’ve seen this with the Cybertruck, is we needed to alter the look of the roads,” Musk stated of the Robovan’s design in the course of the occasion.
Following the revealing of the Robovan, Elon Musk stated that the inspiration behind its design got here from artwork deco buses, once more echoing his basic purpose to “make the long run seem like the long run.”
Musk has additionally defined that the Robovan has unusually low floor clearance as a result of an computerized load-leveling suspension system that raises or lowers based mostly on the smoothness of the highway situations.
LIVE BLOG: Tesla 10/10 “We, Robotic” Robotaxi unveiling occasion
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