Tesla Initiates Driverless Robotaxi Service in Austin

Tesla has begun providing robotaxi rides in Austin, Texas, without human safety drivers present in the vehicles. CEO Elon Musk announced the development on X, stating, "Just started Tesla Robotaxi drives in Austin with no safety monitor in the car. Congrats to the Tesla AI team!"

The company initially launched its robotaxi service in Austin in June 2025, featuring safety monitors in the front passenger seat. In December, Tesla started testing the service without a safety driver in the front seat.

Tesla's AI lead, Ashok Elluswamy, indicated that the company is "starting with a few unsupervised vehicles mixed in with the broader robotaxi fleet with safety monitors, and the ratio will increase over time."

Reports suggest that Tesla is charging for these rides, with one rider noting a fare of $13.70 for an 11-mile trip, undercutting comparable services like Uber.

Additionally, observations indicate that while the robotaxis operate without onboard safety monitors, they are accompanied by trailing vehicles, suggesting continued oversight during this phase of deployment.