Tesla, Inc. CEO Elon Musk took a swipe at Waymo‘s self-driving cars, suggesting his company’s stainless steel Cybertruck might be better suited for robotaxis in San Francisco due to recent vandalism incidents.
What Happened: Musk responded to a parody video by YouTuber Ross Smith featuring two women attacking a Cybertruck. While one woman attempts to dent the doors, the other fails to break the windshield with a tennis racquet.
“Cybertruck might be needed for a robotaxi in San Francisco,” Musk posted with a laughing emoji.
Tesla claims the Cybertruck is highly durable with its stainless steel exterior and armored glass windows.
The company says the steel doors can withstand bullets without penetration, and the glass can resist a baseball at 70 mph.
Why It Matters: San Francisco has seen hostility towards self-driving vehicles, with several incidents of vandalism.
Earlier this year, a crowd vandalized and even set fire to a Waymo robotaxi using fireworks in Chinatown. This incident was the most severe attack on autonomous vehicles in the U.S. so far.
Earlier this week, Musk expressed sympathies for a Waymo vehicle damaged by a vandal in San Francisco. “Does make you feel sorry for the bots,” he wrote.
In February, Waymo issued a voluntary recall for its autonomous vehicle software after two incidents in Phoenix on Dec. 11, 2023, where two Waymo robotaxis crashed into the same towed pickup truck within minutes of each other.
Tesla is also developing self-driving robotaxis, with their model expected to be unveiled on Aug. 8.
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