Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the company is “tentatively” aiming to roll out its much-hyped robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, on June 22. On X, Musk followed up to stress that the date is not set in stone and may shift based on final safety inspections, writing that Tesla is “insanely cautious about safety.”
It is a significant step towards the Tesla venture into autonomous cars. Instead of working on a cheaper EV platform, Musk has instead pivoted to a future that centers on full self-driving (FSD) technology. Initially, the robotaxi pilot will launch with 10 to 20 vehicles in a small portion of Austin, primarily converted Model Y SUVs, and under the remote supervision of humans.
Recently, a video posted by Musk depicted a driverless Model Y going through an intersection in Austin, labeled “Robotaxi,” with another Tesla car, presumably one of the test fleet, behind it. These cars are operating on an updated version of the FSD software by Tesla, which has already been tested on the streets of Austin. Musk also claimed that starting June 28, Teslas could drive themselves from the factory directly to buyers’ homes.
The service will be geofenced to safer areas within Austin and supervised remotely regarding safety. Should this succeed, Tesla will expand to other cities such as Los Angeles, San Antonio, and San Francisco by the end of the year. On X, Musk posted a joke, saying, “Austin >> LA to launch robotaxi lol,” which emphasized the central role of the city.
Tesla is facing several challenges, such as stagnating EV sales, the Model Y redesign, and criticism of Musk due to his political views. Industry skepticism is understandably high, as Musk has a long history of making ambitious claims, but the robotaxi fleet is already assembled, the software is in operation, and the date is currently on the calendar. Yet, important issues concerning user access, pricing, regulation, and safety measures remain to be answered.
