Comment by sho_hn
3 years ago
'Tesla founder Elon Musk said the key to his electric automaker's value is whether it can achieve self-driving technology, adding that the firm would be "worth basically zero" without it.' (https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-tesla-worth-basica...)
I guess it's a trope he trots out in different contexts.
As for batteries, you hear much the same content at a variety of different OEM "battery days", which usually get much less coverage on places like HN however.
Musk is a marketer. The keystone of any good Marketing is: "Sell What You Have." So it's Electrification. Then it's self driving. Then it's GigaPress. Then improved batteries. If Tesla ends up nailing level-5 autonomous driving, it'll be self driving again.
Steve Jobs was very good at this as well. Here's the all-new iPod! Video? Who'd want to watch video on such a small screen? Next year, the all new video iPod.
X is the key to success in the automotive industry, where X equals the trait in which Tesla has the best market position right now