Tesla is getting into a fight with Bloomberg Business to defend that they aren’t overpricing self-driving technology, but the odds aren’t in their favor. George Hotz is Tesla’s prime target. He was the first person to hack the iPhone and PlayStation 3, and he’s coming at Elon Musk for putting a big price tag on something that should not have it.
Geroge ‘Geohot’ Hotz is 26 Years Old, and Made is Own Self-Driving Car
The young entrepreneur developed his own self-driving car kit, and during its release, he threw some shade at other car companies with autonomous driving ventures. He specifically targeted Tesla and Mobileye, saying that their technology is outdated and even he can come up with better gear. He has the proof, too, as he’s released footage of his Honda Acura driving itself on a highway in San Francisco. His next ambitious plan is to outrace a Tesla on Interstate 405 though he didn’t specify a date.
Tesla was quick to shut these claims down, saying that most of Bloomberg Business and Hotz’s statements are completely unfounded. They claim that Tesla’s self-driving efforts have been years in the making, with arduous research and other components having come together to break serious ground in the automobile industry.
Tesla and George Hotz Have A Serious Feud Going On
Tesla went on to declare that there isn’t one person or company that can produce a self-driving car that is production-ready, and that Hotz’s attempt only works on a short stretch of road.
As it turns out, this fight is some time in the making. Elon Musk has had beef with George Hutz for a long time. According to Hotz, he was supposed to join Tesla’s team of self-driving car technology designers. The proposition fell through after three months.
Elon Musk isn’t Very Popular at Silicon Valley
The significance of these two names in the same sentence isn’t great. Elon Musk isn’t seen in a very good light by a lot of people, both for his narcissism and his incredible ability to make something really small sound grand.
However, it’s probably possible that self-driving technology is not as expensive to develop as these companies make it sound. Tesla is notorious for building cars that are six figures and over, so this is no surprise. Do they overprice the technology? Maybe. Does Google overprice the technology? Maybe not.
Google is, At Least, More Reliable than Tesla
Google’s approach to the self-driving car is very different from Tesla’s. Google is looking to provide people with transportation at the cost of any other form of public transport. Tesla is trying to market a product, as is the case with Volvo.
People have a lot of faith in Google, and Google is good at delivering. There’s a chance that thanks to George Hotz, a lot of people will start to question the true cost of self-driving cars. Companies need to make profits somehow, and it’s always at the expense of the client.
When Other Car Makers Join the Race, The Truth Will Come Out
Once big car makers like Mercedez-Benz and others join the ranks to make their own self-driving car, the cats will get out of the bag. When the consumer has more options, then sellers are forced to share more information. How else will they compete with Tesla, who has been on the market for years?
We can also expect more flashy statements from Elon Musk. This is another great talent that Tesla has. They will continue to release cars with ridiculous specs and people will continue to buy them, at least until the big boys come around. Then, Elon Musk might have to scramble for attention for once.
