Tesla has announced that it has been testing fully driverless Model Y vehicles on public streets in Austin, Texas, for several days—an important milestone as the company prepares to launch its highly anticipated robotaxi service.
Early Testing Surpasses Expectations
According to CEO Elon Musk, the driverless tests began a month ahead of schedule. Musk shared on X, "For the past several days, Tesla has been testing self-driving Model Y cars (no one in driver's seat) on Austin public streets with no incidents." This early progress comes as Tesla aims to officially launch its robotaxi service in June.
Robotaxi Service Details
Earlier this year, Tesla revealed plans to deploy an internal fleet of 10 to 20 Model Ys operating within a geo-fenced area of Austin. These vehicles are expected to use remote human assistance, though the extent of teleoperation remains unclear. Some industry observers have expressed concerns that remote operators might be used to mask technical limitations in Tesla's self-driving technology.
A recent Bloomberg report suggested that the service could begin accepting paid customers as soon as June 12. However, reports from mid-May indicated that driverless testing had only just begun, leaving a narrow window for public trials before the commercial rollout.
Regulatory and Safety Considerations
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has requested more information from Tesla regarding the development and evaluation of its robotaxi technology. In a letter dated May 8, the agency stated, "The agency would like to gather additional information about Tesla's development of technologies for use in 'robotaxi' vehicles to understand how Tesla plans to evaluate its vehicles and driving automation technologies for use on public roads."
Unlike competitors such as Waymo, Tesla relies solely on camera-based systems for its autonomous vehicles, foregoing LiDAR and radar sensors. During a recent analyst call, Musk claimed that the Model Y robotaxis would be identical to those sold to the public, though this was later contradicted by Tesla's Autopilot software director.
Strategic Importance for Tesla
The robotaxi initiative is seen as critical for Tesla, especially as the company faces declining EV sales in key markets like Europe. Elon Musk has publicly emphasized the importance of robotaxis to Tesla's future, reportedly even shelving plans for a budget EV to focus resources on autonomous ride-hailing services.
While many details remain under wraps, Tesla's early driverless testing in Austin signals a significant step forward in the race to deploy commercial autonomous vehicles on public roads.
