By mid-June, Tesla's first self-driving taxi service is expected to launch in Austin, Texas.
Tesla Robotaxi prepares for debut in Austin: driverless service set to begin
Driverless taxis are no longer science fiction. Built with Tesla’s tech and manufacturing, autonomous vehicles are now being tested on the streets of Austin, Texas. Just after leaving the White House, Elon Musk made a striking announcement on X: “In the past few days, Tesla has tested Model Y cars with no one in the driver’s seat on public roads in Austin with zero accidents. One month ahead of schedule.”
According to Bloomberg News, Tesla Robotaxi service could be available in the city as early as June 12. These self-driving cars will soon be part of everyday life in the United States.
Musk announces testing of self-driving Model Y in Texas
In his post, Musk actually mentions a month of testing, suggesting a late June launch. However, everything seems to be moving faster than expected. Official confirmation is still pending. During the test phase, a Tesla engineer sat in the passenger seat but provided no driving input. The initial fleet will include 10 to 20 Model Y vehicles, with the service first limited to Tesla employees before opening to the public.
This marks a major milestone in Musk’s vision of shifting Tesla’s focus toward autonomous vehicles and artificial intelligence.
Tesla bets big on autonomous vehicles and AI
Tesla plans to rely on human “teleoperators” who can step in if problems arise, especially in the early stages. Regulatory bodies, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), are closely monitoring the rollout, raising questions about how the system handles adverse conditions and unexpected events.
The success of Tesla Robotaxi is seen as pivotal for the company’s future. Musk has shifted Tesla’s focus away from producing lower-cost vehicle models and placed the company’s long-term value on the mass deployment of full self-driving technology and autonomous taxi services.
What’s next for Musk?
As for Musk’s next move, even he might not know. His exit from the White House advisory role wasn’t just about disagreements with Donald Trump. More likely, it reflected the mismatch between the political role and the financial risks involved. Meanwhile, Chinese EV maker BYD is dominating both the Chinese and European markets.
Musk now seems focused on government contracts in the space sector and is doubling down on robotics, both humanoid (see Optimus) and autonomous driving, where competitors like Google have delivered mixed results.
(P.T.)
