The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has declined Tesla’s initial request to trademark the term “Robotaxi,” citing the name as generic and already in use by other companies. This decision, highlighted in a filing identified by TechCrunch, affects Tesla’s efforts to trademark the term for its upcoming self-driving car service. Tesla is now required to provide more substantial evidence to potentially alter the USPTO’s decision.
The USPTO’s primary concern is that “Robotaxi” is “merely descriptive,” as it is a common term referring to self-driving cars used in services like Waymo. The widespread use of the term in the autonomous vehicle industry means Tesla cannot claim exclusive rights. The filing also mentions Zoox, an Amazon subsidiary, as another company using the term “robotaxi” for its products.
The rejected application pertained to “land vehicles; electric vehicles, namely automobiles; automobiles; and structural parts therefor.” TechCrunch reports that Tesla has also initiated trademark applications for other terms such as “Robobus,” which might receive different outcomes. The company is facing similar challenges with trademarks for “Cybercab,” intended for Tesla’s robotaxi service.
Tesla introduced the Cybercab and outlined its robotaxi service during an event in October 2024, titled “We, Robot.” The Cybercab is designed without a steering wheel or pedals and intends to use inductive charging for power between rides. The event also showcased the Robobus and Tesla’s in-development Optimus robot.
To support their case for the “robotaxi” trademark, Tesla needs to submit materials such as fact sheets, instruction manuals, brochures, advertisements, and relevant screenshots of its website. Despite the trademark challenges, Tesla faces greater hurdles in successfully implementing a self-driving car service.
