Tesla, one of the most vegan-friendly automobile companies, has ambitious plans to introduce over one million autonomous taxis, or robo-taxis, on US roads by next year.
According to Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, the driverless taxis will cost passengers considerably less than current Uber or Lyft rides. While Uber typically costs about $2 to $3 USD per mile (according to Business Insider), the autonomous taxis will cost consumers about $0.18 USD per mile.
Musk plans to introduce the driverless taxis with a platform much like Uber or Lyft. Anyone who owns a Tesla with autonomous driving functionality would be able to offer the car as a
robo-taxi using Tesla’s app. On the same app, customers will be able to order robo-taxi rides.
While this is indeed exciting news for the technology industry, it is equally exciting news for the vegan industry. Most of the autonomous Teslas currently on the road are already
vegan-friendly. As a standard for Tesla, other such vehicles to be introduced on the road will have vegan seats and offer vegan leather accessories and leather-free steering wheel covers.
Musk is very confident that, aside from regulatory concerns and other hurdles, his plans will work, according to Business Insider. In a statement, he said, “Next year for sure, we will have over one million robo-taxis on the road.”
