Latest news with #Cybercabs
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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Business Standard
Elon Musk pushes US lawmakers to fast-track self-driving car approvals
By David Welch, Ed Ludlow and Kara Carlson Elon Musk is pushing lawmakers to help clear a path for driverless vehicles, according to people familiar with the matter, part of a broader effort behind the scenes to lobby for a key priority of Tesla Inc. In recent weeks, Musk and people who work for him have been calling members of Congress directly to gather support, said the people, who asked not to be named because the discussions are private. He has also been weighing in on revisions of a bill introduced on May 15 that would begin setting up a basic framework for autonomous vehicles. Options discussed include expediting the bill or presenting a more detailed measure similar to it before Congress's July 4 recess, one of these people said. On Friday in an Oval Office press conference Musk said he will continue to advise President Donald Trump even after he steps away from the Department of Government Efficiency he has spearheaded. 'The administration's policy is driven by one thing and one thing only: achieving the president's agenda and his commitment to the American people,' White House deputy press secretary Harrison Fields told Bloomberg. Musk and Tesla did not respond to requests for comment. Clearing the path for autonomous vehicles would be a huge win for Musk, who has said he's refocusing on running his business empire. He's increasingly betting Tesla's future on autonomy and robotics. Tesla plans to launch its long-anticipated rideshare service in Austin on June 12, using a small fleet of existing Model Y SUVs, Bloomberg reported. Tesla also aims to add purpose-built Cybercabs, expected to reach volume production next year, to its rideshare service. Right now, Tesla's Cybercab usage would be limited by federal rules that only allow special exemptions for a test batch of 2,500 vehicles that lack a steering wheel and control pedals. Tesla and other operators have pushed for years to get a federal standard to allow such driverless vehicles on America's highways. The Trump administration has said it's amenable to federal rules for AVs and Musk has used Tesla's earnings calls to advocate for a federal framework for self-driving cars. A White House official said Tesla has to make business decisions that are in its best interest. The person, speaking under the condition of anonymity to discuss private matters, said the president will continue to focus on making American energy dominant again and will pursue policies to support that infrastructure. 'It'd be wonderful for the United States to have a national set of rules for autonomous driving as opposed to 50 independent sets of rules on a state-by-state basis,' Musk said to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy when he visited Tesla in May. Currently, companies running AVs are keeping the numbers small and are adhering to a patchwork of state rules. In Texas, Tesla will face few regulations at its launch, with the state regulating autonomous vehicles much like any other car, only requiring cameras, insurance and the ability to follow traffic laws. Congress has had various bills pushing to permit a range of 80,000 to 200,000 autonomous vehicles per manufacturer, but none have managed to pass through the Senate. One bill passed the House in 2017 to allow 100,000 AVs on public roads, but the Senate never brought it to a vote. There, trial attorneys lobbied Democrats to keep new rules at bay without guarantees of how legal liability would be managed. Representative Bob Latta, a Republican from Ohio who's a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and sponsored the bill, is working on revisions with plans to reintroduce it within the next few weeks, said the people. Latta did not return requests for comment.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Elon Musk is lobbying lawmakers on driverless vehicle rules
Elon Musk may have stepped away from his duties as the lead of the Department of Government Efficiency and adviser to President Trump, but he's still active in D.C. circles. This time, he's on the other side, lobbying lawmakers on legislation related to autonomous vehicles, according to a report by Bloomberg that cited unnamed sources. Musk and others in his orbit have been calling members of Congress directly, according to Bloomberg. His efforts appear to be directed at a bill introduced May 15 called the Autonomous Vehicle Acceleration Act. Musk has bet much of Tesla's future on AI, robotics, and autonomous vehicles. He has frequently tied the company's value to its investment and eventual commercialization of autonomous vehicles. And next month, Tesla is expected to launch a small and geofenced robotaxi service in Austin, Texas. Tesla also wants to eventually roll out autonomous vehicles — branded Cybercabs — that don't have a steering wheel or pedals. But today there are not clear federal rules or standards to allow such a vehicle to operate at scale.
TechCrunch
3 days ago
- Automotive
- TechCrunch
Elon Musk is lobbying lawmakers on driverless vehicle rules
In Brief Elon Musk may have stepped away from his duties as the lead of the Department of Government Efficiency and adviser to President Trump, but he's still active in D.C. circles. This time, he's on the other side, lobbying lawmakers on legislation related to autonomous vehicles, according to a report by Bloomberg that cited unnamed sources. Musk and others in his orbit have been calling members of Congress directly, according to Bloomberg. His efforts appear to be directed at a bill introduced May 15 called the Autonomous Vehicle Acceleration Act. Musk has bet much of Tesla's future on AI, robotics, and autonomous vehicles. He has frequently tied the company's value to its investment and eventual commercialization of autonomous vehicles. And next month, Tesla is expected to launch a small and geofenced robotaxi service in Austin, Texas. Tesla also wants to eventually roll out autonomous vehicles — branded Cybercabs — that don't have a steering wheel or pedals. But today there is not clear federal rules or standards to allow such a vehicle to operate at scale.
Los Angeles Times
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Los Angeles Times
Musk lobbies Washington to clear way for self-driving cars
Elon Musk is pushing lawmakers to help clear a path for driverless vehicles, according to people familiar with the matter, part of a broader effort behind the scenes to lobby for a key priority of Tesla Inc. In recent weeks, Musk and people who work for him have been calling members of Congress directly to gather support, said the people, who asked not to be named because the discussions are private. He has also been weighing in on revisions of a bill introduced on May 15 that would begin setting up a basic framework for autonomous vehicles. Options discussed include expediting the bill or presenting a more detailed measure similar to it before Congress's July 4 recess, one of these people said. A spokesperson for Wyoming Republican Senator Cynthia Lummis, sponsor of the bill in question, said her office doesn't disclose who she meets with. 'This bill moves forward on decade-old DOT recommendations and is designed to identify all essential needs for commercial scale AV deployment,' said Joe Jackson, senior communications adviser. 'Major policy decisions on AVs are long overdue.' On Friday in an Oval Office press conference Musk said he will continue to advise President Trump even after he steps away from the Department of Government Efficiency he has spearheaded. 'The administration's policy is driven by one thing and one thing only: achieving the president's agenda and his commitment to the American people,' White House deputy press secretary Harrison Fields told Bloomberg. Musk and Tesla did not respond to requests for comment. Clearing the path for autonomous vehicles would be a huge win for Musk, who has said he's refocusing on running his business empire. He's increasingly betting Tesla's future on autonomy and robotics. Tesla plans to launch its long-anticipated rideshare service in Austin on June 12, using a small fleet of existing Model Y SUVs, Bloomberg reported. Tesla also aims to add purpose-built Cybercabs, expected to reach volume production next year, to its rideshare service. Right now, Tesla's Cybercab usage would be limited by federal rules that only allow special exemptions for a test batch of 2,500 vehicles that lack a steering wheel and control pedals. Tesla and other operators have pushed for years to get a federal standard to allow such driverless vehicles on America's highways. The Trump administration has said it's amenable to federal rules for AVs and Musk has used Tesla's earnings calls to advocate for a federal framework for self-driving cars. A White House official said Tesla has to make business decisions that are in its best interest. The person, speaking under the condition of anonymity to discuss private matters, said the president will continue to focus on making American energy dominant again and will pursue policies to support that infrastructure. 'It'd be wonderful for the United States to have a national set of rules for autonomous driving as opposed to 50 independent sets of rules on a state-by-state basis,' Musk said to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy when he visited Tesla in May. Currently, companies running AVs are keeping the numbers small and are adhering to a patchwork of state rules. In Texas, Tesla will face few regulations at its launch, with the state regulating autonomous vehicles much like any other car, only requiring cameras, insurance and the ability to follow traffic laws. Congress has had various bills pushing to permit a range of 80,000 to 200,000 autonomous vehicles per manufacturer, but none have managed to pass through the Senate. One bill passed the House in 2017 to allow 100,000 AVs on public roads, but the Senate never brought it to a vote. There, trial attorneys lobbied Democrats to keep new rules at bay without guarantees of how legal liability would be managed. Representative Bob Latta, a Republican from Ohio who's a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and sponsored the bill, is working on revisions with plans to reintroduce it within the next few weeks, said the people. Latta did not return requests for comment. Welch, Ludlow and Carlson write for Bloomberg
Business Times
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Business Times
Tesla to resume shipping Chinese parts for Cybercab, Semi production in the US: source
[SHANGHAI] Tesla plans to start shipping components from China to the US for the production of Cybercab and Semi trucks from the end of this month, after the US and China reached a truce over tariffs, said a source with direct knowledge. The move, being reported by Reuters for the first time, illustrates how the de-escalation of the trade war between the world's two largest economies, following talks in Geneva over the weekend, is having an immediate impact on business activity. Reuters reported last month that Tesla had suspended plans to ship the components after US President Donald Trump raised tariffs on Chinese goods to 145 per cent, potentially disrupting Tesla's plan to start mass production of the much-anticipated models. The truce announced on Monday (May 12) saw the US and China agree to roll back the bulk of tariffs and other countermeasures. The source, however, added that the situation could still change, citing the Trump administration's unpredictability. They declined to be named as the matter was confidential. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Tesla aims to start trial production of the two models in October and mass production in 2026, with the Cybercab to be produced in Texas and Semi in Nevada, Reuters previously reported. Tesla has been seeking approvals from state governments for a robotaxi service using a fleet of Cybercabs with no steering wheel or control pedals. It unveiled the concept in October and promised to start building the vehicle by 2026 at a price of less than US$30,000. Tesla also plans to ramp up production of its Semi trucks in 2026 and accelerate deliveries of long-overdue orders to customers including PepsiCo. Trump's tariffs, which were meant to boost US manufacturing, hurt his political ally, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has repeatedly voiced his support for free trade and objections to tariffs. Last month, Musk told analysts on a first-quarter earnings call that he pushed for lower tariffs to Trump but that the decision was ultimately up to the US president. Vaibhav Taneja, Tesla chief financial officer, told the same call that tariffs were also hurting capital investments as Tesla had to bring equipment from outside the US, particularly from China, to expand domestic production lines. REUTERS
