Tesla Robotaxi

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Tesla Robotaxi
Tesla Model Y (2025) MYLE Festival 2025 DSC 9565.jpg
A Tesla Model Y, the initial Tesla vehicle in Robotaxi service.
Developer Tesla, Inc.
Country United States
Year introducedJune 22, 2025 (2025-06-22)
Type Autonomous ride-hailing
PurposeCommercial transportation, Technology demonstrator
Website www.tesla.com/robotaxi

Tesla Robotaxi is a ride-hailing service operated by Tesla, Inc. that utilizes its vehicles equipped with the Full Self-Driving (FSD) software. The service launched in a limited capacity in Austin, Texas, on June 22, 2025.

Contents

The service represents a key part of Tesla CEO Elon Musk's long-term strategy for the company, which envisions a future where Tesla owners can add their personal vehicles to a shared autonomous ride-hailing network. [1] The initial launch in Austin operates with a human "safety monitor" in the front passenger seat.[ citation needed ] The service's debut on June 22, 2025, was marked by significant media attention and scrutiny, with early riders documenting incidents such as driving on the wrong side of the street, phantom braking, dropping passengers off in intersections[ citation needed ] and traffic violations that drew the attention of federal regulators, [2] like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that is already investigating these issues. [3]

The Robotaxi network is eventually expected to work with all current Tesla vehicles, but is being focused on two new autonomous-only vehicles, Cybercab and Robovan, but would also support the Model 3 and Model Y, for owners who choose to allow their autonomous-capable vehicles to participate in the network. [4] [5] Cybertruck, Model S and Model X will also be able to participate in the ridehailing network at a future time. [6]

History and concept

Tesla first mentioned a future car sharing service for its cars with autonomous control capability in 2016. Musk stated that the car could generate income for the owner while the owner pursued other activities. [7] By 2018, Tesla was more explicit and indicated that the service would compete directly with companies like Uber and Lyft, but with the substantial difference that the Robotaxi Network would be composed exclusively of autonomous electric vehicles. [8] In 2019, Musk said that costs for car owners who allow their vehicles to be part of the Tesla Network would be under 20 cents per mile, much less than the $2–3 per mile of traditional driver-operated ridesharing services. [6]

Tesla revealed on October 23, 2024, during its investor call, that a Tesla ridehailing app has been in internal testing since early 2024, exclusively with Tesla employees in California, using driver-supervised Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. [9] [10]

The concept of a Tesla-operated autonomous ride-hailing network has been a central part of Elon Musk's public narrative for the company for nearly a decade.

Launch in Austin, Texas

Tesla began its robotaxi service on June 22, 2025, through an invite-only program for certain Tesla shareholders and social media influencers. [15]

Service details

Public and media reception

The launch of the robotaxi service was met with a polarized reaction. Early riders posted numerous videos to social media praising the experience as "smooth" and "the future." [18]

However, mainstream media coverage and industry analysts were more critical. The focus was often on the numerous documented driving errors, the long-delayed launch, and the gap between Musk's promises of full autonomy and the reality of a service requiring human oversight. Many outlets discussed concerns surrounding public deployment of the technology. [2] [19]

Investigations and controversies

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began a probe on Telsa for repeated failures to report crashes involving advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD). Reports are required to be within the one to five established time frames for crashes, with Tesla reporting these incidents months after. [20]

The California Department of Motor Vehicles sued the company for false advertising to consumers by exaggerating the self-driving abilities of the vehicles. This can lead to an outright ban of the vehicles in California. The case is ongoing and was filed on July 2022. [21]

Documented incidents

During the first week of Tesla's Robotaxi service in Austin, several incidents involving traffic violations, unusual driving behavior, and performance concerns were reported and documented by early riders, with some captured on video.

Traffic law violations

Incident TypeDateLocationDetails
Wrong Lane EntryJune 22, 2025Austin intersectionA robotaxi entered a left-turn-only lane, but instead of turning, it swerved right across double yellow lines into an unoccupied lane for oncoming traffic. The vehicle drove the wrong way for several seconds before correcting itself. The incident was documented by Tesla investor Rob Maurer. [19] [22]
SpeedingJune 22–23, 2025Various Austin streetsMultiple riders documented the robotaxis exceeding posted speed limits. Documented instances include:
  • 35 mph in a 30 mph zone (ride of Sawyer Merritt). [19]
  • 39 mph in a 35 mph zone (ride of Herbert Ong). [19]

Operational safety incidents

Incident TypeDateLocationDetails
Steering Wheel JerkingJune 22, 2025Austin intersectionThe vehicle's steering wheel jerked violently left and right as it drove through an intersection. The vehicle's display showed the navigation path rapidly switching between two different routes, causing the car to drift over double yellow lines. [23] [24]
Erratic Braking (Police Car)June 22–23, 2025Austin streetsA robotaxi was observed braking hard twice while passing stationary police cars with flashing lights. The police vehicles were on the side of the road and did not pose an obstruction. [2] [25]

Pick-up and drop-off issues

Incident TypeDateLocationDetails
Handicapped Parking ViolationJune 22–23, 2025Austin parking lotA robotaxi pulled into a designated handicapped parking space to pick up a passenger. [22]

Regulatory Response

Videos of the robotaxis' performance issues that circulated online caught the attention of U.S. federal regulators. On June 23, 2025, one day after the service launched, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said, "NHTSA is aware of the referenced incidents and is in contact with the manufacturer to gather additional information." [26]

Competitive landscape

Tesla's Robotaxi service enters a market where competitors like Waymo (owned by Alphabet Inc.) have been operating for a longer period.

Key differences include:

Future outlook

Elon Musk has laid out an ambitious plan for the robotaxi service. He has stated that Tesla intends to launch the service in "a dozen cities" in the United States by the end of 2025, pending regulatory approvals. [29]

The company also plans to begin production of its purpose-built Cybercab in 2026, with significant volume production slated for 2027. The eventual goal is to remove the safety monitor and achieve true Level 4 or 5 autonomy, which would allow Tesla vehicle owners to add their cars to the ride-hailing network and generate revenue. However, a clear timeline for achieving this level of unsupervised operation has not been provided.[ citation needed ]

References

  1. 1 2 "Elon Musk's Robotaxi Dream Is Finally, Sort of, Here". Slate. June 24, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Tesla robotaxi incidents caught on camera in Austin get NHTSA concern". CNBC. June 23, 2025.
  3. US investigates Tesla’s Robotaxi launch after videos show erratically driving cars
  4. "Tesla's robovan is the surprise of the night". The Verge. 10 October 2024.
  5. Aarian, Marshall (October 9, 2024). "Tesla Is Ready to Roll Out Its Robotaxis". Wired . Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  6. 1 2 Alvarez, Simon (22 April 2019). "Tesla outlines plan for 'Robotaxi' ride-sharing service". Car and Driver . Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  7. Johnson, Davey G. (July 20, 2016). "Elon Musk's Tesla Master Plan, Part Deux". Car and Driver . Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  8. Leski, Paige (October 25, 2018). "Elon Musk says Tesla will 'obviously' take on rivals Uber and Lyft with its own ride-hailing service". Business Insider . Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  9. "Tesla has been testing a robotaxi service in the Bay Area for most of the year". The Verge. October 23, 2024. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  10. "Tesla Tests Self-Driving Taxi Service in San Francisco". IOT World Today. October 24, 2024. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  11. Ferris, Robert (2016-10-20). "All Tesla vehicles being produced now have full self-driving hardware". CNBC. Retrieved 2025-07-10.
  12. BLOOMBERG, Dana Hull and Ed Ludlow / (2024-07-11). "Tesla Delays Planned Robotaxi Unveiling". TIME. Retrieved 2025-07-10.
  13. "Tesla's 'Full Self-Driving' beta releases to some drivers on October 20th". Engadget. 2020-10-12. Retrieved 2025-07-10.
  14. Marshall, Aarian. "The Paradox at the Heart of Elon Musk's Self-Driving Vision". Wired. ISSN   1059-1028 . Retrieved 2025-07-10.
  15. 1 2 "Tesla tiptoes into long-promised robotaxi service". Reuters. June 22, 2025.
  16. "Getting Started". Tesla Support.
  17. "Tesla's robotaxi service is now live in Austin for just $4.20 a ride". Mashable. June 23, 2025.
  18. "Tesla Robotaxi riders tout smooth experience in first reviews". Teslarati. June 23, 2025.
  19. 1 2 3 4 "Tesla Robotaxi Videos Show Speeding, Driving Into Wrong Lane". Bloomberg. June 23, 2025.
  20. Kolodny, Lora (21 August 2025). "Tesla faces U.S. auto safety probe over faulty crash reporting". CNBC.
  21. Bonos, Lisa; Thadani, Trisha (22 July 2025). "Tesla fights two court battles over claims it misled consumers about automated driving". The Washington Post.{{cite news}}: |archive-url= requires |archive-date= (help)
  22. 1 2 "What we learned about Tesla's robotaxis from early-access riders' videos". Business Insider. June 24, 2025.
  23. "Tesla Robotaxi Seen on Video Jerking Steering Wheel, Seemingly Confused". Futurism. June 23, 2025.
  24. "Tesla's first robotaxi rides are already running into a few bumps". Engadget. June 23, 2025.
  25. "Tesla's Robotaxis Caught This US Safety Agency's Attention After Incidents". PCMag. June 24, 2025.
  26. "US auto safety agency looking into online videos of Tesla robotaxis making driving errors in Austin". Associated Press. June 24, 2025.
  27. "Robotaxis on the Road: What's Behind Tesla's Bet Against Lidar?". Nasdaq. June 23, 2025.
  28. "Tesla's Robotaxi Service Debuts in Austin With $4.20 Rides, While Waymo Already Delivers 250,000 Weekly Trips". Karmactive. 23 June 2025.
  29. "Musk Talks Robotaxi Details: Fleet Size, Teleoperators, Avoiding Certain Intersections, Scaling and More". Not a Tesla App. 21 May 2025.