Elon Musk Faces Lawsuit After Using 'Blade Runner 2049' Imagery for Tesla Robotaxi

Days after showing off Tesla's long-awaited self-driving taxi—AKA the Cybercab—at a recorded event, the company's CEO is facing a lawsuit for copyright infringement. Alcon Entertainment, the production company behind Blade Runner 2049, The Blind Side, and other blockbusters, has filed a complaint against Elon Musk for using Blade Runner iconography for the Cybercab's unveiling.

The lawsuit claims Musk's company reached out for permission to use Blade Runner-inspired imagery for the Cybercab event on Oct. 10—the day the event was to take place. Musk has long lusted after the vehicles from Blade Runner, comparing Tesla's Cybertruck to the film in 2019 and again in 2023. It might be important to note that Musk's understanding of the film appears to be wildly off-base: Blade Runner 2049 features manned flying cars, not self-driving grounded cars, and there is no single character dubbed "Bladerunner ...