This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
Cathie Wood, chief executive of Ark Invest, said Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) is increasingly being viewed as more than an electric-vehicle maker, as investor attention shifts toward autonomous driving and robotaxis, according to a Monday CNBC interview.
Speaking on Squawk Box, Wood said demand conditions for electric vehicles remain pressured, but the market is focusing more on Tesla’s potential in self-driving technology and recurring revenue models tied to robotaxi services.
She said Tesla’s business could evolve away from lower-margin vehicle hardware toward software-style revenue, where margins are typically higher. Wood added that some analysts appear to be reassessing their models as they factor in autonomous driving and mobility services.
CNBC also asked about the timeline for robotaxis and humanoid robots, noting that large-scale deployment could take time. Wood said Ark Invest is tracking how quickly Tesla’s operational footprint is expanding and suggested progress may be faster than some expectations.
She pointed to competition in autonomous driving, including Alphabet’s Waymo, saying overlapping rollout areas could accelerate development. Wood also said broader federal legislation, rather than state-by-state rules, could support faster adoption.