Elon Musk, the visionary CEO of Tesla, has been facing growing challenges in recent months. Tesla's stock has seen a sharp decline, dropping by over 40% in value in the last two months, and the company is dealing with various issues, including criminal acts of vandalism targeting Tesla vehicles and showrooms, protests against his work in the Trump White House, and struggles in some international markets.
Despite this, Musk remains resolute and continues to push his vision of a future where autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, and robotaxis will revolutionize society.
On Thursday evening, Musk hosted an all-hands meeting with Tesla employees to address the ongoing challenges, reassure them about the company’s future, and reinforce his vision for Tesla’s technological advancements. He urged his team to “hang onto your stock,” as he emphasized that the company’s long-term success would be defined by innovations that could transform the global transportation industry.
Tesla’s stock closed more than 5% higher on Friday at $248.71, an uptick that Musk seemed to attribute to his continued optimism and relentless focus on the future. However, his remarks in the meeting were not just about market movements; they also centered on his bold and sometimes controversial views on Tesla’s future, his goals for autonomous vehicles, and the way forward for the company despite the challenges it faces.
The meeting also touched on the growing protests and criminal acts of vandalism against Tesla, which have become increasingly widespread across both the U.S. and Europe. Many Tesla electric vehicles have been set on fire, showrooms have been damaged, and charging stations have been vandalized in a series of attacks.
Musk addressed these incidents with a mix of frustration and defiance, urging those responsible to “stop being psycho.” His remarks were met with laughter from employees, who seemed to appreciate his candid approach.
Musk expressed his disbelief at the scale of the protests and vandalism, adding that it felt as though every time he turned on the TV, there was a report about a Tesla vehicle on fire. “If you read the news, it feels like, you know, Armageddon,” Musk said during the livestream.
“It’s like, I can’t walk past the TV without seeing a Tesla on fire. Like, what’s going on? Some people, it’s like listen, I understand if you don’t wanna buy our product, but you don’t have to burn it down. That’s a bit unreasonable.”
Despite the growing backlash, Musk remained focused on his broader goals for the company, including advancing Tesla’s autonomous vehicle technology, which he believes will revolutionize transportation and mobility on a global scale. He highlighted his long-standing vision of a world with robotaxis and fully autonomous electric vehicles that could transform the way people live and work.
Musk has promised that in the future, Tesla’s vehicles will have the ability to operate autonomously, offering transportation options that are more efficient, safer, and more environmentally friendly.
Musk continued to focus on the advancements Tesla is making in the realm of autonomous vehicles, speaking passionately about the potential of the technology. “It’s very difficult for people in the stock market, especially those that look in the rearview mirror—which is most people—to imagine a future where suddenly a 10 million vehicle fleet has five to ten times the usefulness,” Musk said, referencing his belief that Tesla’s fleet of vehicles would vastly outperform traditional vehicles once they are fully autonomous.
He emphasized that the profound nature of the changes Tesla is working towards is difficult for many to grasp, but he assured employees that “it will compute in the future.”
Tesla has long been a leader in electric vehicle technology, and Musk’s vision extends far beyond simply building vehicles. He has long promised that Tesla will lead the world in autonomous driving technology, with the goal of rolling out driverless ride-hail services in cities like Austin, Texas, by mid-2023.
Musk’s promise of a robotaxi service is part of a broader plan to integrate artificial intelligence and automation into the company’s products, which he believes will revolutionize the transportation industry.
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) software has already been deployed in some vehicles, but it currently requires a driver to be present in the car to take control if necessary. Musk’s ambition is to take this a step further by introducing fully autonomous vehicles that can operate without human intervention. “What’s the most exciting future that you could possibly imagine?” Musk asked rhetorically.
“It’s a future of abundance for all, where robotaxis, artificial intelligence, and robots now in development at Tesla will bring about a future where you could literally just have anything you want.”
While focusing on the future of autonomous vehicles, Musk also celebrated some of Tesla’s current successes. He highlighted the Tesla Model Y, which has become a best-seller, and announced that it would be the “best-selling car on Earth again this year” and “available worldwide.”
Musk also boasted about the Cybertruck, Tesla’s angular steel pickup truck, which has become the top-selling fully electric pickup in the market. Despite a massive recall of the Cybertruck earlier this week, Musk praised the vehicle’s crash safety, pointing to its 5-star rating.
Tesla’s ability to push forward with new models and innovations has helped it maintain a strong foothold in the global electric vehicle market. Musk credited Tesla’s employees with helping the company overcome challenges related to its supply chains across three continents, noting that the updated Model Y would not have been possible without their hard work and dedication.
Musk also discussed Tesla’s ambitious plans for humanoid robots, including the upcoming release of the Cybercab, a two-seater vehicle with no steering wheel or brakes. This vehicle, Musk believes, will be a significant step forward in the development of autonomous technology.
He also spoke about the humanoid robot called Optimus, which is currently being assembled at Tesla’s Fremont, California factory. Musk revealed that Tesla plans to produce approximately 5,000 Optimus units this year, with the goal of delivering them to Tesla employees first.
Tesla’s humanoid robot is being touted as the most sophisticated of its kind, although it is still in the early stages of development. “Optimus is the most sophisticated humanoid robot on Earth,” Musk declared, despite the fact that it is still learning basic tasks like walking and catching balls.
He promised that once the robot is fully developed, it will function like the characters R2-D2 and C-3PO from Star Wars, offering assistance and performing various tasks.
The Optimus robot, Musk said, will first be offered to Tesla employees, though he acknowledged that there would likely be some bugs to work out. However, he remained optimistic, describing the development of the robot as “very cool” and revolutionary for the future of robotics.
While Musk remains confident in Tesla’s ability to dominate the autonomous vehicle and humanoid robotics markets, the company faces stiff competition from other industry players. Alphabet’s Waymo has already begun scaling its driverless ride-hailing service in several U.S. markets, including Austin.
In addition, Chinese electric vehicle makers like Zeekr are working on developing autonomous driving technology that could rival Tesla’s Autopilot and FSD systems. Meanwhile, humanoid robotics developers such as Boston Dynamics, Apptronik, and Unitree are also making strides in bringing their own models to market, with Boston Dynamics recently showcasing its Atlas robot performing complex movements.
Despite the competition, Musk remains confident in Tesla’s ability to lead the way in both the autonomous vehicle and humanoid robotics markets. He believes that Tesla’s focus on innovation and its existing technological infrastructure will give the company a significant edge over its rivals in the years to come.
As Musk continues to navigate Tesla through turbulent times, he remains unwavering in his vision for the company’s future. Despite facing protests, vandalism, and challenges in international markets, Musk remains committed to delivering on his promise of a world dominated by autonomous vehicles, robotaxis, and humanoid robots.
Whether or not Tesla can maintain its leadership in the face of growing competition remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Musk’s ambition knows no bounds, and he is determined to reshape the future of transportation and technology.
