Elon Musk Unveils His Dazzling New Robovan—But There’s a Chinese Rival with the Same Name!

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• Tesla’s newly launched Robovan shares its name with a⁣ Chinese vehicle.
• WeRide ⁤presented its version ⁣of⁢ the Robovan in 2021.
• Starship Technologies, another ‍robotics ‌firm, applied for a US trademark for⁣ “Robovan” back in 2017.

The Unveiling of Tesla’s Robovan

During Tesla’s⁤ “We, Robot” event, CEO Elon Musk surprised attendees with​ the introduction of the company’s latest innovation: the Robovan. However, this unveiling was not entirely‌ original due to its shared name with an existing product.

A Look at WeRide’s Autonomous Offering

In 2021, WeRide—a Chinese startup specializing in autonomous driving—unveiled its own self-driving cargo van also named the Robovan. The company’s CEO, ⁣Tony Han, described it as merging features of both passenger and logistics ⁢vehicles. “It’s an autonomous vehicle that can function‍ as ‍either a robotaxi or a delivery van depending on how it’s configured,” Han explained‍ to CNBC back then. “Why not do both?” ‌he added.

WeRide has partnered with JMC-Ford Motors—a collaboration between Jiangling Motors Corp and Ford—to manufacture their version of the Robovan. In May 2023, they announced receiving permission to conduct road⁤ tests ⁣in Guangzhou and reported having over 10,000 pre-orders from a major express delivery service for their vehicle.

The Trademark History Behind ‘Robovan’

Interestingly enough, WeRide ‌is not alone ⁤in claiming interest in‌ the term “Robovan.” In July 2017, Starship Technologies filed for trademark rights to this name according to records from ⁤the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Founded ‌by⁣ Skype ⁢co-founders Ahti Heinla and Janus Friis, Starship focuses on autonomous delivery robots rather than self-driving vehicles like those from Tesla or WeRide.

The company announced plans back in 2016 to collaborate with Mercedes-Benz on developing their own version of a “Robovan,” specifically designed for ‌neighborhood deliveries using their autonomous robots instead of ‍traditional door-to-door service. Their approach involves sending vans ⁣to designated locations where goods are loaded before dispatching robots for final deliveries; these robots then autonomously⁤ return to restock after completing tasks.

Musk’s Vision for Tesla’s New Vehicle

Musk envisions that Tesla’s new offering​ will accommodate up to twenty passengers while also being capable‌ of transporting goods efficiently. “What if you need something larger than our Model‌ Y?” he posed during ⁤his presentation just before revealing a prototype on stage at Thursday’s event which primarily ​focused on launching Tesla’s Robotaxi‍ concept known⁢ as Cybercab.

No immediate⁢ comments were received from representatives at Tesla or other companies involved regarding inquiries sent by Business Insider outside regular business hours.

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