Tesla will debut its highly anticipated Robotaxi service at an event hosted by Warner Bros. in Burbank, California, on January 27, the company announced Wednesday. The studio was located in Burbank, California, on October 10th, according to a report by Bloomberg.
Following a several-year stint in California, where Tesla’s roots lie alongside its design and engineering hubs, the electric car giant has been opting for its Giga Texas facility as the go-to location for product unveilings.
Given the proximity to the Tesla Design Studio in Hawthorne, California, where innovative thinking and creativity thrive, it’s only logical that confidential concepts are nurtured within the same vicinity.
Tesla will depart from tradition and opt instead for an unconventional venue for its October 10th unveil, choosing to host the event at a sprawling film set in nearby Burbank, situated just north of Los Angeles.
In a bold move, Tesla opted to simulate a quintessential suburban neighborhood, which ultimately led to the situational consequences that followed. There exist a diverse array of homes, accompanied by a meticulously crafted simulation of a charming small-town downtown area. Imagine being hailed by a robotaxi outside your doorstep and whisked away to downtown for a night out on the town.
Despite being accustomed to utilizing private spaces, this isn’t Tesla’s first rodeo hosting an event at a Hollywood studio.
In a star-studded event held at Universal Studios, just a stone’s throw away from Warner Bros., the company made headlines in 2016 with the unveiling of its pioneering photo voltaic roof product. Studios. That occasion took place in a mock film neighborhood – on the familiar studio backlot used for filming movies.
Tesla’s announcement may have been prescient, given that on that occasion, the company only delivered on one of four distinct roof options initially promised. That day, Tesla’s creative juices were flowing, and they decided to weave some cinematic magic.
After languishing at the starting gate for a lengthy period, the photovoltaic roof ultimately gained momentum, yet it remained a low-volume offering for Tesla, eight years on. Hopefully, for Tesla’s sake, its robotaxi won’t suffer the same fate.
Since unveiling its Solar Roof technology, Tesla has repeatedly assured homeowners that they would be able to monetize their vehicles by using them as autonomous robotaxis. That promise has yet to materialize – and Tesla has repurposed the term “robotaxi” to describe this specialized product, launching on October tenth. Little information has been provided about whether owners of other vehicles will be able to use them as self-driving taxis if the company ever succeeds in achieving autonomy – which, according to CEO Elon Musk, is expected to happen next year, a claim he’s made annually for over a decade now.
