Elon Musk forecasts a revolutionary shift in transportation by 2036
- By Zaeem Basir -
- May 18, 2026
Elon Musk, the visionary CEO of Tesla, has made a bold prediction that 90% of driving in the US will be autonomous by 2036.
Speaking at the Smart Mobility Summit, Musk stated that Tesla’s fully autonomous vehicles will be operating at scale across the US by the end of 2026.
He emphasized that manual driving will become a niche pastime, with AI taking care of around 90% of all distance traveled in the US within the next decade.
Musk’s prediction is backed by Tesla’s aggressive rollout of autonomous driving technology, with driverless cars already operating in three major Texas cities without human supervision.
The company is leveraging AI and camera technology to achieve full autonomy, with plans to expand its robotaxi service globally.
Key Developments:
Autonomous Driving Timeline: Musk predicts 90% of US driving will be autonomous by 2036, with Tesla aiming to remove safety monitors from its Robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, by the end of 2026.
Tesla’s Autonomous Fleet: The company has accumulated over 10 billion kilometers of real-world driving experience, with plans to expand its autonomous fleet globally.
Cybercab and Robovan: Tesla unveiled its Cybercab, priced under $30,000, and a 20-passenger robovan, aimed at transforming urban transportation.
Its pertinent to know that Musk’s vision is ambitious, and some experts are skeptical about the timeline.