Musk Accelerates Timeline for Self-Driving Teslas

Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk unveiled his latest predictions for the debut of fully autonomous Teslas, saying they’re expected to hit the roads “later this year”. He delivered these remarks at an AI conference in Shanghai, indicating the company’s close ties with China, the world’s biggest car market.

Musk was quoted as saying, “I think we are very close to achieving full self-driving without human supervision.” Referring to the advanced stages of self-driving technology, he added, “I think we’ll achieve full self-driving, maybe what you would call four or five, I think later this year.”

This isn’t the first time Musk has made such a forecast, reports France 24. Despite acknowledging his past overestimations, he insists, “I feel like we’re closer to it than we ever have been.”

Although Tesla’s previous attempts at complete autonomy have prompted regulatory scrutiny in the U.S., Musk seems unfazed.

The Tesla CEO’s recent visit to China emphasizes the company’s commitment to the nation, where a quarter of car sales are electric vehicles.

However, Tesla hasn’t been without struggles. The electric vehicle titan recently reported lower earnings for the first quarter of this year due to price cuts amid fierce competition from other car manufacturers.

Regardless, Musk’s latest prediction gives another glimpse into a future where autonomous vehicles rule the roads.