More trouble for Musk as Tesla faces legal questions ahead of robotaxi rollout

Musk

Tesla is expected to begin offering robotaxi service on Sunday in Austin, an initial step that Elon Musk’s backers believe could lead to the company’s next growth wave.

The launch — which comes as Musk refocuses on his business ventures following a controversial stint in Donald Trump’s administration — will employ the Model Y sport utility vehicle rather than Tesla’s much-touted Cybertruck, which is still under development.

The long-awaited launch follows the dramatic meltdown earlier this month in relations between Musk and Trump, which saw a cascade of bitter attacks from both men.

Since then, Musk has publicly expressed regret for some of his statements, while his company’s Texas operation has prepared for the Austin push — part of a major drive on autonomous technology and artificial intelligence that Tesla bulls believe will yield huge profits.

This group includes Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives, who said autonomous technology could be a catalyst for potentially $1 trillion in additional market value or more.

“There are countless skeptics of the Tesla robotaxi vision with many bears thinking this day would never come,” said Ives, who predicted that Trump’s administration would clear roadblocks for Tesla and pivot from the recent “soap opera.”

“The golden era of autonomy for Tesla officially kicks off on Sunday in Austin,” Ives said in a note Friday. Punch