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Elon Musk Announces Tesla Robotaxi Launch on August 8

The tech billionaire confirmed the appointment after a Twitter follower who led the X suggested Tesla hold a Robotaxi event on August 8, a date considered auspicious in China.

Fresh from his trip to China, tech billionaire Elon Musk announced on Tuesday that he chose August 8 as the launch date for the Tesla Robotaxi project because the number 8 is considered auspicious in Chinese culture.

Tesla shares surged after it was reported that Musk had received approval to bring the company’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) software to China, boosting the electric vehicle (EV) company’s revenue by more than 15 percent.

Musk picked a lucky Chinese number to run the Robotaxi project

 After a leading Twitter follower at X suggested that Tesla hold a Robotaxi event on August 8, a date considered auspicious in China, the tech billionaire confirmed the choice "I did partly pick it because 8/8 is a lucky number in China! Also, it's the birthday of my triplets, who are now 17," posted the X owner.

Securing approval for Full Automation (FSD) and finalizing a landmark data deal with Chinese internet giant Baidu represents a major win for the tech billionaire. Earlier this month, Tesla's CEO revealed that the electric car company in the August 8 robotic taxi service that it is to consolidate.

The announcement got millions of her followers excited. Remember, in 2019, the company had indicated that Robotaxis would be operational by 2020, but the plan fell through.

It’s worth noting that Chinese online search giant Baidu struck a deal with Musk-owned EV maker Tesla to compile access to the automaker’s licensed map to collect data on public roads at the mouth of China.

 Musk intends to enable full automation in China

Musk aims to develop the Full Self Driving (FSD) feature in China, the second-biggest market for the electric carmaker after the US. According to a BBC report, from April 28, Musk is currently in Beijing to discuss autonomous driving on Tesla. He landed in China yesterday (April 28) after postponing his trip to India.

Automakers like Xpeng are trying to compete with Tesla by introducing comparable automation features in their vehicles. Musk called Chinese automakers "the most competitive car company in the world."

Meanwhile, Chinese Premier Li Qiang told Musk that the vast Chinese market will always be open to foreign-funded projects.

According to two sources familiar with the situation, news agency Reuters reported yesterday. The deal marks the resolution of a legal hurdle in the introduction of Tesla's Full Automation (FSD) driver assistance system in China.

Conclusion: Expectations are high among investors, customers, and industry observers alike in the weeks leading up to the launch of Tesla's Robotaxi service and, if successful, it doesn't look like the groundbreaking project and could cement Tesla's position as a leader in the automotive industry not only intensify but pave the way for a future in which self-driving cars are a ubiquitous part of everyday life.