Musk’s big bet on autonomy meets scepticism from investors

Tesla (TSLA.O) and its CEO Elon Musk are walking an increasingly difficult tightrope as the company navigates declining electric vehicle sales and an autonomous driving business that has yet to get off the ground.

On its latest earnings call, Musk said Tesla is “getting the regulatory permission to launch” robotaxis in several states, including California, Nevada, Arizona and Florida.

He expects operations to reach “half the population of the US by the end of the year” and to roll out at scale by the end of next year.