Tesla Seeking Trademark Registration for ‘Robot Taxi’ and ‘Robot Bus’

As it were, American electric car manufacturer Tesla has filed for an application in the United States Patent and Trademark Office for exclusive rights over trademarking “Robotaxi” and “Robotbus”.

The name “Robotaxi” has been in the headlines lately; it describes self-driving taxis that move people around. Among such vehicles are those types made by Waymo, an organization engaged very heavily in running self-driving taxis across the United States.

Tesla’s trademark application was filed last week, shortly after the company’s CEO and founder, Elon Musk, introduced prototypes of a self-driving taxi and also a self-driving bus said to be capable of carrying up to 20 passengers.

The electric vehicle-focused news site Electrek was the first to report on Tesla’s filing. The filing is interesting, particularly in light of Musk having referred to these types of vehicles as “Cybercab” and “Robovan” during various product demonstrations.

However, a search of the database at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office reveals no applications for a trademark using that term, while the startup company Starship Technologies registered a trademark for “Robovan” in 2019, though it has not produced any vehicles under that brand.

Musk said Tesla would start building self-driving taxis in 2026 that would sell for less than $30,000, but then he hedged. “Sometimes I am not accurate about the timing,” Musk allowed. “I think generally – sometimes more so than others.” The overall lack of detail about Tesla’s plans frustrated some investors, and the company’s stock fell 9% after it showed off its new prototypes.

Automotive industry analysts have long been skeptical of Tesla’s ability to create a fully autonomous driving system by using cameras only, while competitors such as Alphabet-owned Waymo continue to deploy costlier technologies, including laser-based radar systems that scan 360 degrees around the vehicle.