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Imagine a taxi that can't operate in the rain. That is what Tesla has delivered in Austin TX.

These riders learned that the hard way, but don't have anything particularly negative to say about it... That's the advantage of only making a Robotaxi service available to hand-picked Tesla influencers.

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[-] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works 44 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Something is very wrong in this universe since Elon Musk continues to earn more and more money.

EDIT: Because he doesn’t have enough! And can’t think of anything fucking better to do with his time!

[-] kkj@lemmy.dbzer0.com 33 points 3 weeks ago

Earn is a strong word. He obtains more money.

[-] spankmonkey@lemmy.world 13 points 3 weeks ago
[-] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works 6 points 3 weeks ago
[-] Mnemnosyne@sh.itjust.works 5 points 3 weeks ago

....you know, I never thought of it that way before but yeah, the way our economic system is designed, money is like gravity. Once it passes a certain threshold, it just...accretes.

And much like gravity it would take a rare and exceptionally violent event to break that hold and scatter it again in a way it won't just pull back together.

[-] MnemonicBump@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 3 weeks ago

earn more and more money

STEAL more and more money

FTFY

[-] jonne@infosec.pub 6 points 3 weeks ago

Because it's all government subsidies/contracts.

[-] jaybone@lemmy.zip 6 points 3 weeks ago

We pay him. Involuntarily. That’s how “capitalism” is supposed to work. Right?

[-] shalafi@lemmy.world 6 points 3 weeks ago

Far as I can tell, he's losing money, just not fast enough to choke him to death.

[-] P00ptart@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago

Manual override: on.

[-] BigMacHole@sopuli.xyz 27 points 3 weeks ago

This article is TERRORISM because it Probably HURTS ELONS FEELINGS!

[-] P00ptart@lemmy.world 4 points 3 weeks ago

"don't call me a snowflake, YOU'RE the snowflake!"

[-] disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world 26 points 3 weeks ago

But I thought cameras > LiDar?🥴

[-] pelespirit@sh.itjust.works 21 points 3 weeks ago

The kid mannequin didn't think so.

[-] KayLeadfoot@fedia.io 13 points 3 weeks ago

The kid mannequin doesn't do much thinking anymore, RIP <3

[-] Zorque@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago
[-] KayLeadfoot@fedia.io 11 points 3 weeks ago

Well it had a chance of finishing its education, before it got Musked while getting off the school bus

[-] P00ptart@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago

Right before it wile E. coyote'd itself.

[-] communist@lemmy.frozeninferno.xyz 1 points 3 weeks ago

I mean to do a little devils advocate here he did say in terms of cost... not in terms of quality.

and quality is as we all know not important for self driving vehicles...

/s

[-] Not_mikey@lemmy.dbzer0.com 25 points 3 weeks ago

For anyone wondering waymos (Google driverless cars) handle rain just fine as far as I've seen, and they have service in Austin. Idk why you would ever choose to take a tesla taxi.

[-] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works 17 points 3 weeks ago

For the thrill of a highly possible, but statistically improbable, violent death?

[-] P00ptart@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago

Thrill seekers gonna seek thrills.

[-] aeternum@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

for a robotaxi that has a driver for "safety"! Congratulations, Elon. You invented a taxi!

[-] solsangraal@lemmy.zip 11 points 3 weeks ago

even if they did, i'd still walk in the rain before riding in one of those fucking things

[-] P00ptart@lemmy.world 4 points 3 weeks ago

I have as much of a chance in the trunk of a mob owned Chevy celebrity as I do in a Tesla. At least I can try to talk the mob down.

[-] jaybone@lemmy.zip 1 points 3 weeks ago
[-] P00ptart@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago

looks around desperately for boxy 80s cars "phew!" I exclaim, whilst not noticing the Tesla wiggling it's ass in the bushes while stalking me.

[-] parody@lemmings.world 6 points 3 weeks ago

Distracting af. Anyone have a copy of the video without such noisy ball gargling throughout?

[-] protist@mander.xyz 3 points 3 weeks ago

I watched a minute of that YouTube video and feel so sorry for those people

[-] harrys_balzac@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 3 weeks ago

Don't. They're handpicked Elon bootlickers.

[-] SnarkoPolo@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago

Let those peasants pull their bootstraps and find their own way home if it's raining!

[-] huppakee@feddit.nl 3 points 3 weeks ago

Tesla: We need to release the product to the public asap, how else are we gonna create something that really works?

VW: https://youtu.be/Vaa3QH2hzRs

[-] protist@mander.xyz 10 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Google (Waymo) already has an entire fleet of autonomous vehicles available for hire in Austin and many other cities. Amazon (Zoox) has been testing on the roads in Austin for over a year now. Both have thus far seemed to be doing really well from a safety perspective. But then again, like VW, they're using lidar and can see through rain, fog, and night.

From a business perspective, Google and Amazon have diverse revenue streams and the deepest pockets imaginable, and will crush Tesla, whose only other sources of revenue are actively drying up.

[-] chunkystyles@sopuli.xyz 6 points 3 weeks ago

All of this is so plainly obvious, along with how shitty Tesla is as a company. But TSLA somehow keeps its overinflated value.

I don't understand it.

[-] P00ptart@lemmy.world 4 points 3 weeks ago

It's a meme stock. Game stop on ketamine.

[-] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works 3 points 3 weeks ago

Forgive my ignorance, but why is Tesla using cameras and not LIDAR?

[-] P00ptart@lemmy.world 10 points 3 weeks ago

Because Elon has far more influence than intelligence.

[-] lowered_lifted@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 3 weeks ago

They used to use LIDAR but Musk decided the hardware cost too much

[-] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago
[-] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago
[-] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago

What’s it cost to hire an assassin? Teslas might be cheaper.

Less reliable, though.

[-] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago

The one good thing about the Tesla implosion is the increased attention on Zoox

[-] LillyPip@lemmy.ca 2 points 3 weeks ago

Why am I just now noticing Tesla’s logo looks exactly like an IUD?

[-] 4grams@awful.systems 0 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

This shit is so bonkers stupid it’s broken my brain. Who fucking cares about driverless cabs, who hasn’t been on a theme park ride in the last 10 years and hasn’t seen driverless cars coming. Big fucking deal, was the world screaming for more cabs? What is materially is better about a cab ride with someone sitting in the passenger seat, vs. the drivers seat?

I get its innovation, and inevitable, so who fucking cares about the hype. Why do these fuckers care about the aesthetics of their cab ride? IMHO, without a driver, I want to see a fucking ectomobile of sensors, that would be beauty to me, being able to see the shit that’s keeping me safe.

Ugh, everything is so goddamned stupid, we have become so goddamned easy to impress. Fine, we can have all the future shit that the movies promised, but what will it actually do, what will it actually solve?

A robotaxi solves ONE issue, the cost of paying a driver. That is not something that impacts me, so who fucking cares. I like having a stranger to talk to while I ride, nice getting some new perspective.

[-] lemmy_outta_here@lemmy.world 0 points 3 weeks ago

I totally agree.

Remember when the price of groceries came down because of all the self-checkouts? Like, are his taxis going to be significantly cheaper than other providers? If not, why would I use them?

I really think the investors who are like "Tesla shares are worth $450 each because of robotaxis" really haven't thought this one through. A driverless taxi is only better for the Taxi company. The experience for the user is worse in every way. If you want to charge the same as a regular taxi, your service has to be better. Who is going to help me with my luggage? Uh oh, storm clouds. I guess I will WALK IN THE RAIN.

I know there are some real idiots out there, but let's break down the characteristics of a Tesla robotaxi customer:

  • must be stupid
  • must like walking in bad weather / getting stranded in random locations
  • must like paying more for less
  • must be ok with nazis

I'm no stock analyst, but I am confident in my $0.00 valuation of Tesla shares.

[-] MangoCats@feddit.it 0 points 3 weeks ago

are his taxis going to be significantly cheaper than other providers? If not, why would I use them?

I had that one taxi driver in Philadelphia who took me on a 40 minute tour of the city for a 6 minute hop from my hotel to the place I needed to be. Running red lights, making wild lane changes across traffic... he was an anomaly, but one you don't quickly forget. Then there are the taxi drivers from SFO to downtown San Francisco doing 80-85 in their clapped out 680,000 mile Caprices. The fact that there aren't crumpled yellow Caprices lining the sides of the expressway is small comfort as you bounce along on completely dysfunctional shock absorbers flying after every pothole - occasional sparks flying on the touchdowns. I've taken that ride a half dozen times across a span of 20 years, it's always been like that for me.

[-] lemmy_outta_here@lemmy.world 0 points 3 weeks ago

Yeah, at least the Teslas are new (right now). I haven’t had the same experience with shoddy cabs, but i am in a different part of the world. I can see the appeal of being in a newer, cleaner vehicle.

[-] Lucelu2@lemmy.zip 1 points 3 weeks ago

there are people driving regular taxis with clean cars..also ubers/lifts.

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this post was submitted on 27 Jun 2025
192 points (99.5% liked)

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