Tesla Inc. aims to unveil its highly anticipated robotaxi at an event at Warner Bros. Discovery Inc.’s movie studio in the Los Angeles area, people familiar with the matter said.
The electric vehicle company is targeting a reveal of the purpose-built robotaxi on Oct. 10 at the Burbank, California, facility, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private. The 110-acre lot holds 29 sound stages and has hosted famous productions, from Batman movies to the television show Friends.
Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk didn’t respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for Warner Bros. didn’t immediately comment.
Musk has been prioritizing autonomy and artificial intelligence, shifting away from Tesla’s core business of selling EVs to consumers. The Austin-based company is also creating a proprietary ride-hailing app powered by a fleet of both purpose-built robotaxis and consumer cars that don’t require a human driver. The CEO may give more details about the technology at the LA event.
Tesla moved its headquarters to Austin in December 2021 but its design studio remains in Hawthorne, California. In 2016, Musk also used Hollywood studio space when he demonstrated Tesla’s solar roof product on the set of Desperate Housewives.
Tesla delayed the timing of the robotaxi event, initially scheduled for Aug. 8, due to design change requests by Musk, Bloomberg reported in July. The company also needed more time to create prototypes to demonstrate, people familiar with the matter said.