Tesla, the American electric car manufacturing company, has filed a request with the US Patent and Trademark Office to register the words “robot taxi” and “robot bus” as exclusive trademarks. This move is part of the company’s efforts to dominate the growing market for self-driving cars.
The term “robot taxi” has become known in recent years to refer to self-driving taxi cars that transport passengers without a driver, and this technology is widely used in the United States. Waymo, owned by Alphabet, is one of the first companies to introduce this type of car.
Last week, Tesla filed for the registration of these trademarks, and Elon Musk, the company’s CEO, unveiled a prototype of a self-driving taxi and a self-driving bus that can carry up to 20 passengers. This step is part of the company’s plans to develop smart public transportation.
According to a report from the specialized electric transportation website, Tesla recently filed this request for the first time. While Musk sometimes uses the names “Cybercab” and “Robo-van” to refer to self-driving cars and buses, the company has not yet officially applied to register the “Cybercab” mark. At the same time, the startup company Starship Technologies had already registered the name “Robo-van” in 2019, although it has not yet produced any products carrying this name.
Tesla plans to start producing self-driving taxi cars by 2026, and Musk expects them to be sold to individuals for less than $30,000. Despite these expectations, Musk admits that he is often overly optimistic about timelines.
The lack of clear details about these plans has frustrated investors, leading to a 9% drop in Tesla’s stock after the announcement of the new models. While Tesla relies solely on camera technology in developing its self-driving system, competing companies like Waymo use more expensive technologies like lidar radar that provide precise surround vision.
