Tesla files for 'Tesla Robotaxi' trademark amid hurdles over generic terms
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) had previously rejected Tesla’s bid for “Cybercab” due to a flood of similar applications from other companies, while asking for more specificity before considering the term “Robotaxi.”
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Tesla is making a fresh bid to trademark its self-driving vehicle service by filing applications for the term "Tesla Robotaxi," after earlier attempts to trademark more generic terms like "Robotaxi" and "Cybercab" ran into regulatory roadblocks.
According to a report by TechCrunch, Tesla originally filed in October 2024 to trademark both "Robotaxi" and "Cybercab."
However, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) pushed back, requesting more specific information about "Robotaxi" - a term already used widely by rivals such as Waymo.
The agency also rejected Tesla's "Cybercab" bid outright due to the high volume of companies attempting to trademark variations of the word "Cyber."
In response, Tesla has now submitted three new trademark applications for the more distinct term “Tesla Robotaxi.” The filings are aimed at securing rights to the brand for use across Tesla’s planned autonomous ride-hailing service, the accompanying mobile app, and the vehicles themselves, the report added.
Despite Tesla’s urgency - especially as the company prepares to begin test runs of the service in Austin, Texas, later this month - it’s unlikely the new applications will be reviewed in time. Trademark applications can take months before an examiner is even assigned.
This is not the only branding Tesla is chasing. The company also has open applications for terms like “Robobus,” “Robus,” and “Cyberbus,” which appear to reference a van-like prototype shown during a 2024 unveiling of the Cybercab.
At that event, CEO Elon Musk called the concept the “Robovan,” but that name may already be off-limits - Estonian robotics firm Starship Technologies owns a trademark for it, the report added.
