Elon Musk Says He Desires to Carry Tesla Robotaxis to Saudi Arabia

Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated he desires to deliver robotaxis to Saudi Arabia, the place Uber is already laying the groundwork to launch autonomous autos later this yr.

On the US-Saudi Funding Discussion board on Tuesday, Musk made an enormous push for robotics in Saudi Arabia, together with self-driving vehicles.

“Actually you’ll be able to consider future vehicles as being robots on 4 wheels, and I feel it could be very thrilling to have autonomous autos right here within the Kingdom in case you’re amenable,” Musk stated to Abdullah Alswaha, Saudi’s Minister of Communications and Info Expertise.

Musk did not present any particulars or timeline for when that would occur.

Tesla has but to launch its robotaxi service to the general public anyplace on the planet. The corporate has stated it plans to launch a pilot of the service in Austin in June. Musk stated the ramp-up for enlargement afterward needs to be fast.

A Tesla spokesperson didn’t reply to a request for remark.

Saudi Arabian leaders have stated they need autonomous autos to play a task within the nation’s broader Imaginative and prescient 2030 modernization plans, which goal to scale back the area’s financial dependence on oil by making heavy investments in expertise. The nation final yr launched a regulatory framework across the adoption of self-driving vehicles.

Uber introduced on Could 6 that it plans to deploy robotaxis within the Kingdom someday this yr by its partnership with China’s Pony.AI. The corporate hasn’t specified a date.

Pony.AI’s robotaxi ambitions within the US got here to a screeching halt in 2022 after the Division of Motor Automobiles revoked its California allow, citing a number of driving violations. The startup continues to supply autonomous rides to the general public in China.

A spokesperson for Pony.AI didn’t reply to a request for remark.

Saudi Arabia’s Transport Common Authority stated Tuesday in a publish on X that the company had signed a memorandum of understanding with Uber to launch autonomous autos within the Kingdom. An MOU is just not binding and easily indicators an intent to collaborate.

“First autonomous autos anticipated to launch on the Uber platform with onboard security operators in 2025,” the Transport Common Authority wrote.

Uber is already a large participant within the Kingdom’s rideshare market.

The corporate owns Careem, which is the go-to ride-hailing app within the Center East, working in 26 cities all through the Kingdom. Uber additionally individually operates its ridesharing service within the area.

A spokesperson for Uber declined to remark. A spokesperson for Careem didn’t reply to a request for remark.

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