Tesla is taking a page from Waymo’s robotaxi playbook. A recent job listing hints at the company building a team of teleoperations staff to remotely control its self-driving robotaxis and robots.
The job is for a software engineer who would help design a system that lets people take control of Tesla’s robotaxis and robots when they get stuck or confused.
If that is the case, Tesla might not be as close to achieving fully self-driving cars as it claims.
Tesla versus its competitors
CEO Elon Musk’s goal has always been to build cars that can navigate without human interference. But autonomous driving is complicated – just ask Cruise.
Construction zones, weird traffic patterns, and pedestrians can easily confuse self-driving cars.
At the other end of the spectrum, Waymo is making great strides in the field. The autonomous vehicle (AV) company already has a team of people to take over the driving process if something tricky pops up.
And Vay, a Berlin-based remote driving company, also uses teleoperations technology to pilot empty vehicles via remote driving, also known as tele-driving.
READ: Vay: The future of ride-sharing, no driver needed!
Vay is not a traditional ride-hailing or car-sharing service like Uber and Bolt, and it’s not really a robotaxi service like Cruise and Waymo. .
Unlike AVs, Vay’s fleet is remotely controlled by trained teleoperators.
Is this what Tesla is going for?
Tesla teleops job listing
As per the job listing, Tesla is looking for someone to:
- Build a system where operators can take control of robotaxis or robots using virtual reality (VR).
- Help improve Tesla’s robots by logging and studying when humans need to step in.
- Make sure the system works smoothly with Tesla’s software and hardware.
This isn’t Tesla’s first time using remote operators. At an event last month, Tesla showed off its Optimus humanoid robot making drinks and chatting with people.
But Tesla didn’t disclose at the time that humans were, in fact, controlling the robots behind the scenes…
That wasn’t the case when XPENG showed off their new humanoid robot, Iron, earlier this month.
Cybercab, and where it’s not (the road)
Tesla recently unveiled its ‘Cybercab’ robotaxi. It doesn’t have a steering wheel or pedals and can carry two passengers.
Musk says Tesla could start manufacturing the Cybercab by 2026 or 2027, but then again, he also promised there’d be a million robotaxis on the road by 2020.
Robotaxis in the US
Spoiler: As of last month, there are approximately 3,500 and 6,000 robotaxis worldwide. In the US, Waymo currently has between 450 and 500 operational robotaxis.
Cruise has none due to aforementioned safety concerns.
Robotaxis in China
In China, Baidu operates around 500 robotaxis in Wuhan as of June this year, and 19 other cities are running robotaxi and robobus tests, or have approved driverless tests.
Between Baidu and other manufacturers (Pony.ai, WeRide, AutoX, SAIC Motor, etc), there are an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 vehicles on the road.
TL;DR, China significantly outpaces the US in deployment. That said, there is talk of Tesla testing robotaxis in California and Texas next year using regular Teslas.
Where to from here?
If anything, the job listings for remote (human) operators show how hard it is to achieve full autonomy in driving.
But it also raises questions:
- Can Tesla compete with other companies that already use teleoperations?
- Will this help Tesla finally get its robotaxi service off the ground?
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About the author
Cheryl has contributed to various international publications, with a fervor for data and technology. She explores the intersection of emerging tech trends with logistics, focusing on how digital innovations are reshaping industries on a global scale. When she's not dissecting the latest developments in AI-driven innovation and digital solutions, Cheryl can be found gaming, kickboxing, or navigating the novel niches of consumer gadgetry.
