Elon Musk's voyage into the future has already created the most valuable motor company in the world in Tesla.
And his creative streak is far from finished as shown with a new form of transport that features no pedals or steering wheel – the Tesla robotaxi.
Mr Musk revealed some more details about the robotaxi as Tesla reported its first quarter financial results, which took it past the $3 billion mark in quarterly net profit for the first time.
What is the robotaxi?
Well, it has not been seen yet, because Tesla has not released any images – those interested will have to wait until next year to get a glimpse.
But Mr Musk did confirm the lack of pedals and steering wheel, which makes it sound more like a train than a car.
This is what he said on Tesla's financial results conference call: “We are also working on a new vehicle that I alluded to at the Giga Texas opening, which is a dedicated robotaxi.
"It is going to be highly optimised for autonomy – meaning it will not have steering wheel or pedals. There are a number of other innovations around it that I think are quite exciting, but it is fundamentally optimised to achieve the lowest fully considered cost per mile or kilometre when counting everything.”
“I think [the robotaxi] really will be a massive driver of Tesla’s growth,” he said.
Tesla has long talked about having the ability to turn its customers’ cars into driverless vehicles that could be used as robotaxis. Mr Musk vowed to unveil the car in the next two years and begin volume production in 2024.
“With the robotaxis and autonomy, I think we will end up providing consumers with by far the lowest cost per mile that they’ve ever experienced,” he said.
Has Mr Musk mooted the robotaxi before?
Indeed, he said back in 2019 that there would be a million potential Tesla robotaxis on the road some time in 2020. The closest to robo-driving that Tesla has is the full self-driving software system that costs owners $12,000. It is not capable of allowing the car to drive on its own and requires a human driver to pay attention.
Tesla also says it expects “full self-driving” beta test software to be released to all US customers who purchased the feature by the end of the year. Mr Musk said about 100,000 owners are testing the system now, on public roads.
"Of any technology development I've ever been involved in, I've never really seen more false dawns, where it seems that we're gonna break through, but we don't, as I've seen in full self-driving," he said. "To solve full self-driving you actually have to solve real world artificial intelligence, which nobody has solved.
"I think we will achieve that this year."
Mr Musk says it will offer services similar to Uber and Airbnb...
Yes, speaking at Tesla's annual stockholder meeting, he said the new model would offer its owners an opportunity to rent out their vehicles based on how often they needed to use it.
“There are parking lots full of cars everywhere because cars need a driver and so, most of the time they are doing nothing,” he said.
“Typically, a passenger car is going to have 12 hours a week of usage. If it is autonomous, maybe it could get to 50 or 60 hours of usage.
“The interesting thing is the car still costs the same. So, in that scenario, at least for some period of time, the gross margin for an autonomous car boggles the mind,” he said.
“In terms of how the car would be operated, you would have the option of owning a car and just using it occasionally when you need it — Auto-Uber or something like that, and then the owner of the car might decide they want to use the car or add or subtract it from the fleet. It would end up being a combination of Airbnb and Uber, or something like that,” he said.
What else does Tesla have in the pipeline?
The Cybertruck is arguably Tesla's most exciting product in development.
The futuristic, angular, armoured-looking vehicle is scheduled to enter production next year, bringing an end to a nearly three-year wait for early pre-production order holders.
Back at its launch in 2019, Mr Musk said it would sell for $39,900, although that was with a view to production beginning in late 2021.
Tesla raised its prices in China, the US and other countries, after Mr Musk said in March the US electric car maker was facing significant inflationary pressure in raw materials and logistics during the crisis in Ukraine.
Mr Musk tweeted in 2019 that the design was partly influenced by James Bond's Lotus Esprit sports car that converted into a submarine in The Spy Who Loved Me.
“We’ll be in production with Cybertruck next year, we’ll be in production with the Roadster, and with Semi,” the billionaire said at the company’s Cyber Rodeo this month in Austin, Texas. “This year is all about scaling up, and then next year, there’s gonna be a massive wave of new products.”
Tesla is also working on a humanoid robot called Optimus.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
The Cairo Statement
1: Commit to countering all types of terrorism and extremism in all their manifestations
2: Denounce violence and the rhetoric of hatred
3: Adhere to the full compliance with the Riyadh accord of 2014 and the subsequent meeting and executive procedures approved in 2014 by the GCC
4: Comply with all recommendations of the Summit between the US and Muslim countries held in May 2017 in Saudi Arabia.
5: Refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of countries and of supporting rogue entities.
6: Carry out the responsibility of all the countries with the international community to counter all manifestations of extremism and terrorism that threaten international peace and security
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
US tops drug cost charts
The study of 13 essential drugs showed costs in the United States were about 300 per cent higher than the global average, followed by Germany at 126 per cent and 122 per cent in the UAE.
Thailand, Kenya and Malaysia were rated as nations with the lowest costs, about 90 per cent cheaper.
In the case of insulin, diabetic patients in the US paid five and a half times the global average, while in the UAE the costs are about 50 per cent higher than the median price of branded and generic drugs.
Some of the costliest drugs worldwide include Lipitor for high cholesterol.
The study’s price index placed the US at an exorbitant 2,170 per cent higher for Lipitor than the average global price and the UAE at the eighth spot globally with costs 252 per cent higher.
High blood pressure medication Zestril was also more than 2,680 per cent higher in the US and the UAE price was 187 per cent higher than the global price.
THE BIO
Ms Davison came to Dubai from Kerala after her marriage in 1996 when she was 21-years-old
Since 2001, Ms Davison has worked at many affordable schools such as Our Own English High School in Sharjah, and The Apple International School and Amled School in Dubai
Favourite Book: The Alchemist
Favourite quote: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail
Favourite place to Travel to: Vienna
Favourite cuisine: Italian food
Favourite Movie : Scent of a Woman
Company profile
Company: Verity
Date started: May 2021
Founders: Kamal Al-Samarrai, Dina Shoman and Omar Al Sharif
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech
Size: four team members
Stage: Intially bootstrapped but recently closed its first pre-seed round of $800,000
Investors: Wamda, VentureSouq, Beyond Capital and regional angel investors
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The Specs
Engine 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 582bhp (542bhp in GTS model)
Torque: 730Nm
Price: Dh649,000 (Dh549,000 for GTS)
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Stan%20Lee
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The biog
Name: Marie Byrne
Nationality: Irish
Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption
Book: Seagull by Jonathan Livingston
Life lesson: A person is not old until regret takes the place of their dreams
MATCH INFO
Burnley 1 (Brady 89')
Manchester City 4 (Jesus 24', 50', Rodri 68', Mahrez 87')
FINAL RESULT
Sharjah Wanderers 20 Dubai Tigers 25 (After extra-time)
Wanderers
Tries: Gormley, Penalty
cons: Flaherty
Pens: Flaherty 2
Tigers
Tries: O’Donnell, Gibbons, Kelly
Cons: Caldwell 2
Pens: Caldwell, Cross
The specs
Engine: Turbocharged four-cylinder 2.7-litre
Power: 325hp
Torque: 500Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh189,700
On sale: now
MATCH INFO
Barcelona 2
Suarez (10'), Messi (52')
Real Madrid 2
Ronaldo (14'), Bale (72')
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Bundesliga fixtures
Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn (4.30pm)
Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)
Sunday, May 17
Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)
Monday, May 18
Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)
