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Tesla to Offer Public Robotaxi Rides in Austin Starting June 22, Says Elon Musk

Prime Highlights

  • Public robotaxi rides are expected to commence in Austin, Texas, on June 22, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said.
  • The robotaxi rides will be based on Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology, starting in 10–20 Model Y cars with remote monitoring.

Key Facts

  • The deployment would be restricted to certain safe areas of Austin for safety guarantee.
  • Tesla intends to roll out driverless home deliveries from its plant starting June 28.
  • Launching in California and other states follows later in 2025 subject to regulatory approval.

Key Background

Tesla’s robotaxi initiative has been a pillar of Elon Musk’s vision for a completely autonomous future. At the center of this vision is the company’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system, which leverages AI and camera-based vision. In contrast to competitors that are counting on LiDAR and radar sensors, Tesla puts its bets on AI-powered perception to drive around city streets, targeting affordability and scalability.

The Austin pilot robotaxi deployment represents the most tangible step by Tesla toward commercializing the technology. Early tests involved supervised ride-hailing in Austin and California with trained safety drivers in every vehicle. Now, Musk indicates the company will drive the initial 10–20 unaltered Model Y cars with no onboard human drivers. These will be remotely monitored and restricted to designated, carefully chosen routes in safe areas.

This conservative strategy is due to safety issues and Tesla’s desire to sidestep accidents that might douse public confidence or attract regulatory heat. U.S. regulators are already probing Tesla’s FSD software based on a series of crash reports. Therefore, the company’s initial deployment will target low-risk locations and incremental growth, subject to performance and public response.

Tesla intends to grow the fleet substantially and expand operations to other U.S. states, such as California, where regulations are stricter. Furthermore, beginning June 28, Tesla will offer a factory-to-home delivery program with autonomous cars — another large step in the direction of completely autonomous logistics.

The robotaxi drive comes during a tough period for Tesla. The automaker has witnessed declining electric vehicle (EV) sales and growing competition from other firms such as Waymo, Zoox, and Cruise, which already have self-driving services in some cities. Waymo, for example, offers more than 200,000 robotaxi rides weekly in Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

Musk has moved the strategic priorities of Tesla away from low-cost EV manufacturing towards autonomy, viewing robotaxis as a trillion-dollar potential. Tesla also intends to permit private car owners to become part of its future “Tesla Network,” which will enable individuals to rent out their cars autonomously, much like an Uber-type platform.

Although Tesla’s timeline is ambitious, June 22 is a critical date. If it succeeds, it has the potential to remake city transportation and vindicate Tesla’s AI-first strategy toward autonomy.