Elon Musk to Unveil Self-Driving Car, robotaxi August

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced the unveiling of a long-awaited robotaxi on August 8th. 

This news comes just hours after Musk disputed a Reuters report claiming Tesla was abandoning its plans for a low-cost electric vehicle (EV) to focus resources on the robotaxi project.

The announcement coincides with a recent slump in Tesla's EV sales and profits, prompting the company to seek a potential sales boost. 

While details remain scarce, the robotaxi is expected to be built on the same platform originally intended for the lower-cost EV.

The CEO has a history of optimistic timelines for self-driving technology. In 2016, he predicted a cross-country self-driving Tesla by 2017, a promise that went unfulfilled. 

Similarly, a 2019 pledge for launching robotaxis in 2020 and a 2024 target for a dedicated robotaxi design all failed to materialize.

Currently, Tesla vehicles include a driver-assistance system called Autopilot.  

While an additional "full self-driving" (FSD) package exists, it does not provide true autonomy. 

FSD offers features like automated parking and highway navigation but requires constant driver supervision.

The August 8th reveal will shed light on Tesla's robotaxi design and potential timeline for deployment.