Tesla Inc, a leading electric vehicle manufacturer, has faced a setback in its bid to trademark the terms “Robotaxi” and “Cybercab”. These terms have been used by the company to describe its new autonomous vehicles. However, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has rejected Tesla’s trademark request, citing that the terms are too generic to be trademarked.
What Happened
Tesla had planned to launch its robotaxis in June, but the rejection of its trademark bid may force the company to come up with a new name for its vehicles or use the term “robotaxis” as a generic term, rather than a company-specific name. The USPTO examiner stated that the term “Robotaxi” is “merely descriptive” and is used by other companies to describe similar goods and services.
Trademark Rejection
The USPTO rejected Tesla’s trademark claim for “Robotaxi”, stating that it is too generic to be trademarked. A separate trademark filing for “Robotaxi” for ride-hailing services is still under review. Additionally, Tesla’s trademark bid for “Cybercab” was halted due to multiple companies filing similar trademarks with the word “Cyber” in them, including one company that applied for trademarks related to accessories for Tesla’s Cybertruck vehicle.
Alternative Trademarks
Tesla has also filed trademarks for “Robobus” and “Robus”, which could be related to its 20-seat passenger vehicle shown off at its October 2024 Robotaxi Day event. These trademarks are still under review. If Tesla is unable to secure the trademarks for “Robotaxi” or “Cybercab”, it may use these alternative trademarks for its larger vehicles.
Implications
The rejection of Tesla’s trademark bid may force the company to rebrand its autonomous vehicles. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has used the terms “Robotaxi” and “Cybercab” to refer to the vehicles, which are seen as a crucial part of the company’s future growth. The company has three months to file a response to the trademark rejection or the application will be abandoned.
Current Status
Tesla’s stock is currently trading at $287.81, down 24.2% year-to-date in 2025. The company’s website has often used the term “Robotaxi” to refer to its new vehicle, and it is unclear how the trademark rejection will affect the company’s branding strategy. Tesla will need to decide on a new name for its vehicles before they are scheduled to hit the road next month.