Tesla Robotaxi-Related Patent Applications Hint At Autonomous Buses or Vans

Late last year, Tesla revealed its new robotaxi program, which includes a unique driverless vehicle designed specifically for the effort. More recently, Tesla locked down a trademark name that suggests it could be working on another autonomous vehicle, this time in the shape of a van or bus.

Tesla applied for trademarks to the name “Robus,” which it says relates to electric vehicles, including buses and vans. Another application covers the transport process and defines Tesla’s view on ridesharing services and temporary vehicle use.

The automaker may soon begin testing its robotaxis on the streets of Austin, Texas, but the program will likely rely on existing Tesla models like the Model 3 and Model Y instead of a bespoke vehicle at first. The autonomous buses or vans are a logical step toward Tesla’s goals, offering more efficient transport of many people at once, but these patent applications aren’t a solid indication that we’ll see one on the roads anytime soon.

CEO Elon Musk told investors that Tesla would deliver an autonomous ride-hailing service in Austin by June of this year, saying that it would charge for rides. Texas is likely the best place for it to test because the state places far fewer regulatory hurdles in the way of its operations than it faced in California. That said, we’ve heard promises of self-driving cars from Tesla for years now, so we’ll have to wait and see where this goes.

[Images: Tesla]

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