Tesla's Attempt to Trademark 'Robotaxi' Denied by Patent Office

Tesla has faced a setback in its efforts to secure the trademark for the term 'Robotaxi.' The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) rejected the application, stating that the term is widely used to refer to autonomous vehicles designed for passenger transportation. Tesla now has a maximum of six months to present counterarguments to the decision.

In addition to seeking trademark protection for 'Robotaxi,' the electric vehicle manufacturer is also aiming to establish rights over the name 'Cybercab,' which CEO Elon Musk introduced in October as a prototype of a two-seater vehicle devoid of a steering wheel or pedals. However, the USPTO has temporarily suspended the processing of this application due to potential confusion with other similar names.

Tesla plans to launch a Robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, by the end of June, initially utilizing between 10 and 20 retrofitted Model Y vehicles. Musk has asserted that most of the company's new cars are equipped with the necessary technology for full autonomy, suggesting that millions of self-driving Teslas could soon populate the roads.

Despite Musk's ambitious claims, industry experts and competitors express skepticism. While Musk intends to rely solely on camera systems for navigation, other developers in the autonomous vehicle sector incorporate more sophisticated technologies, such as expensive lidar systems, to better analyze their surroundings. This has led to concerns that cameras alone may not provide sufficient data for reliable autonomous driving.

Currently, Waymo, a subsidiary of Google, holds the leading position in the robotaxi market, operating over 1,500 robotaxis in four U.S. cities. Waymo completes more than 250,000 passenger trips weekly without human drivers.

As the landscape of autonomous vehicle technology continues to evolve, Tesla's challenges in securing trademarks highlight the competitive nature of this burgeoning industry.