Elon Musk’s grand reveal is somehow uglier than the cyber truck

Elon Musk’s recent “We, Robot” event, held on October 10, 2024, was meant to showcase Tesla’s vision of the future, but many left feeling underwhelmed. Musk proclaimed that “the future should look like the future,” which, for some, felt like a callback to the cartoonish visions of the future seen in The Jetsons or the aesthetics of I, Robot. The unveiling of three prototypes—the “Cybercab,” “Optimus” robots, and “Robovan”—left critics questioning the depth of innovation, with many likening the names to something a child might come up with.

Comments from the audience reflected this skepticism. One Reddit user noted, “It’s like when you watch an 80s movie that takes place in like 2015,” implying that the designs felt outdated and superficial. Many criticized the event for prioritizing style over substance, suggesting that it was more about branding and marketing than providing meaningful advancements or timelines for Tesla’s future projects. Following the event, Tesla’s stock took a hit, highlighting investors’ discontent with the lack of concrete details regarding product timelines and numbers.

Analyst Tom Narayan from the Royal Bank of Canada emphasized this sentiment, stating that attendees expected more substantial information typically present at Tesla events. Instead, this event felt more focused on presenting a shiny image rather than delivering actionable insights.

In typical Musk fashion, even the naming of the 20-passenger autonomous vehicle, the Robovan, took a bizarre turn. Rather than the straightforward pronunciation one would expect, Musk introduced “ruh-bo-ven,” perhaps as an attempt to add an unnecessary flair to the presentation. Journalists like Kara Swisher mocked the design of the Robovan, describing it as “a lovely toaster on wheels,” further underlining the event’s disappointing aesthetics.

Musk had promised that the “We, Robot” event would be “one for the history books,” but reactions have suggested otherwise. He didn’t provide any firm release dates for the Robovan or details about the Cybercab, stating only that production would likely start “before 2027.” Given Musk’s history of overpromising, many attendees were left feeling skeptical about whether they should expect these vehicles anytime soon. As the dust settles on this event, it seems that, for many, the vision Musk presented still feels a long way from reality.