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Tesla Eyes 2025 for Launch of Autonomous Taxi Service

Tesla is gearing up to launch a taxi service in 2025, potentially before it starts mass production of its autonomous robotic taxis. Elon Musk announced these plans during the company’s third-quarter financial presentation, revealing that tests have already commenced in California and Texas. Employees have been trying out the service, with human drivers present to take over in emergencies.

For public launch, Tesla must secure approvals from the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the California Public Utilities Commission. Musk assured that the company will navigate the necessary regulatory process before offering the service to everyday users. If all goes well, Tesla aims to expand its operations to other states by the end of next year.

This announcement marks a serious move toward a long-discussed service, with Musk first hinting at autonomous driving software development years ago. The robotic taxi was unveiled recently after several delays, although it remains unclear when mass production will commence. These autonomous taxis are expected to be priced under $30,000, challenging Waymo, which currently operates the only commercial self-driving taxi service in the U.S. in San Francisco.

Only 1% Of Cyprus Farms Use Precision Farming Technologies

Cyprus remains one of the European Union’s least digitised agricultural economies, with just 1% of farms using precision farming technologies in 2023, according to Eurostat.

The findings come as the EU continues to encourage the adoption of digital tools aimed at improving agricultural productivity, efficiency and sustainability.

Internet Access Expands, But Digital Uptake Lags

Internet access has improved across the bloc, although adoption remains uneven. Eurostat found that 43% of EU farms had internet access in 2023, with northern and central European countries leading the way.

Denmark, Germany, Slovakia, Latvia, the Czech Republic and Austria all reported internet access rates above 90%.

Greater connectivity, however, has not translated into widespread digital adoption. Farm management information systems, which help farmers manage day-to-day operations, were used by only about 11% of EU farms. France was a notable exception, with around 60% of farms using the technology.

Precision Farming Concentrated In Larger Operations

Robotics adoption also remained relatively limited, with only about 7% of EU farms using robotic technologies. Overall, around 18% of farms with utilised agricultural area employed at least one precision farming technology or practice in 2023.

These included robotics for plant protection, band spraying, variable-rate application, precision crop monitoring and soil analysis. Despite representing fewer than one in five farms, these holdings accounted for around 44% of the EU’s utilised agricultural area.

The figures suggest that precision farming remains concentrated among larger agricultural businesses, where investment in digital technologies is typically easier to support.

Cyprus Lags Behind EU Leaders

Luxembourg, Finland and Estonia recorded the highest shares of utilised agricultural area managed by farms using precision farming technologies, each exceeding 75%.

At the other end of the ranking, Cyprus recorded just 1%, while Greece and Romania reported between 10% and 15%. The results indicate that Cyprus remains at an early stage of digital adoption in agriculture, even as precision farming becomes more widespread across parts of the European Union.

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