Tesla's much-hyped robotaxi launch is finally around the corner as it hopes to roll out the vehicles in June 2025 but it has not been a smooth journey for Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

Tesla's Robotaxi's Road Has Been Bumpy

Though, Musk had boasted for years about self-driving cars and promised the company would deliver, however, he already pushed back its launch date, which he has justified by saying that it was necessary to allow engineers more time to develop the technology, according to The Street.

Waymo Races Ahead

Meanwhile, the EV maker's rivals in the United States and China have already introduced self-driving technology into their vehicles, as per the report. This has led some experts to speculate that the automaker is already falling behind in the driverless race, according to The Street.

Tesla's competitor Waymo partnered with Uber to successfully launch self-driving vehicles on the road and has established itself as an early leader in the space, as per the report.

Autopilot Issues and Federal Scrutiny

However, that's not the only roadblock the company is facing. According to The Street report, the autopilot software behind its self-driving push has allegedly caused many on-road incidents that have led to federal investigations.

Experts have also pointed out that the robotaxis would not be fully self-driving, because they will be assisted by a remote human operator, reported The Street.

Tesla's Trademark Hurdle

While, Musk and Tesla are running into a new hurdle, this time from the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) as the company's attempt to trademark the name "Robotaxi" is being met with resistance, as the agency argued that the name is too generic to be eligible for legal protection, according to The Street.

But that's not the only name headache for Tesla. In an April 23 filing, the company announced that its bid to trademark the name "Cybercab" has been suspended too, because other companies have been attempting to register similar names, including CyberLandr, a company that sells Cybertruck accessories, reported The Street.

On May 6, the USPTO published what's known as a "nonfinal office action" for the Robotaxi trademark. That's essentially an official letter from a trademark examiner setting out the issues that must be addressed before the application can proceed, as per The Street. Tesla has three months to reply with more evidence or argument, or else the application will be rejected, according to the report.

FAQs

When is Tesla's robotaxi supposed to launch?

June 2025 is the target date for the rollout of robotaxi.

Will the robotaxis be fully self-driving?No. It will need remote human assistance.