Elon Musk confirms Tesla is working on making Robotaxi wheelchair-accessible

Tesla is developing a wheelchair-accessible vehicle (WAV) solution to make the self-driving taxi service more inclusive. The goal is to allow people with disabilities to travel more easily.

CEO Elon Musk confirmed his company’s plan on X after investor Sawyer Merritt shared the news that Tesla is working on accessible rides as part of its Robotaxi expansion. Merritt’s post included a screenshot of the Robotaxi app stating that Tesla is working on accessible rides. It shows an icon of Robovan and points users to services that currently offer more inclusive transportation options.

Using the Robovan icon is significant because, given the dimensions and design, it can function as a WAV.

A WAV Robotaxi could greatly improve the quality of their lives for people who cannot drive themselves, either because of disability or medical issues. While there are other car services, such as Uber and Lyft, that offer ride-hailing services, they can be unreliable at times. Additionally, there may not be enough drivers, particularly in rural areas.

However, Tesla’s Robotaxi has an obvious advantage here since it operates autonomously. This means it can realistically provide more transportation options for people who cannot drive or struggle to get rides in rural areas at any time.