Autonomous Tesla Robotaxis to Debut Without Human Gestalt Behind the Wheel, According to Elon Musk
Tesla's Robotaxi Service Expands to Austin, Texas
Tesla's robotaxi service, initially launched in the San Francisco Bay Area, is now expanding to Austin, Texas. The service, which uses Tesla Model Y vehicles, is set to launch next month and will operate within geofenced areas of Austin, primarily at night [2].
Following the successful launch in San Francisco, Tesla is aggressively recruiting in various U.S. cities, including New York, Nevada, Arizona, and Florida, signaling plans to extend the Robotaxi service to these states soon. Approval for driverless operations is reportedly in progress in states like Arizona, where Tesla is following existing services such as Waymo’s [2].
In San Francisco, the service currently operates with safety drivers, but Tesla has not received full regulatory approval to operate completely driverless Robotaxis there. In contrast, Austin is hosting driverless trials [1].
Elon Musk, Tesla's CEO, emphasized the need for unified national regulations around self-driving vehicles. He also expressed his belief that autonomy and Tesla's humanoid robot project, Optimus, will be key to Tesla's future financial success. Musk stated that there has been a major rebound in demand for Tesla's products [6].
Tesla is open to licensing its Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology to other major automakers, but no new details about the ride-hailing model or income-earning potential for Tesla vehicle owners were mentioned [4].
Musk has criticized traditional media for their ability to shape public perception, referring to it as "propaganda." However, no new information about Tesla's plans for its robotaxi service, including testing or nighttime operations, were mentioned in the latest updates [3].
Timeline:
- July 2025: Initial launch of Tesla's Robotaxi service in the San Francisco Bay Area.
- September 2025: Austin, Texas Robotaxi service open to the public, removing initial restrictions and allowing broader access.
- Future: Planned expansion to several major U.S. cities, including New York, Nevada, Arizona, and Florida.
[1] https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/tesla-robotaxi-san-francisco-bay-area-launch/ [2] https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/09/tesla-is-hiring-vehicle-operators-for-autopilot-testing-and-robotaxi-services-in-austin-texas.html [3] https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/22/tesla-robotaxi-service-to-launch-in-austin-texas-next-month-report-says.html [4] https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/tesla-open-licensing-full-self-driving-technology-other-automakers-2022-08-17/ [5] https://electrek.co/2022/08/24/tesla-robotaxi-service-launching-austin-texas-next-month-tesla-model-y-vehicles-geofenced-areas/ [6] https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/26/elon-musk-says-tesla-has-seen-a-major-rebound-in-demand-for-its-products.html
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