Home Tesla to launch robotaxi service in Austin, starting in June

Tesla to launch robotaxi service in Austin, starting in June

Tesla is finally rolling out its long-awaited robotaxi service this June, kicking things off in Austin, Texas. From there, the company says it plans to expand the ride-hailing network across the US and eventually worldwide.

CEO Elon Musk shared the news with investors on Wednesday (Jan. 29), confirming that the robotaxis will operate without a human driver and will rely on an unsupervised version of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving software, which hasn’t been released yet. The billionaire sees the company operating unsupervised activity “with our internal fleet in several cities by the end of the year.”

Musk stated: “So, I talked to the team… we feel confident in being able to do an initial launch of unsupervised, no one in the car, full self-driving in Austin in June.”

He explained that Tesla wants to smooth out the details before launching the service, like making sure the billing system runs seamlessly and that robotaxis actually stop at the right pickup spots when summoned. Musk added that Tesla is “looking for a safety level that is significantly above the average human driver,” though he did not clarify how the company would carry this out.

In October, he mentioned that Tesla’s dedicated robotaxi would “probably” go into production before 2027 and is expected to cost under $30,000.

Tesla moves closer to fully autonomous vehicles, starting in Austin

Earlier today, Tesla announced a new record for Autopilot-driven miles between accidents in the last quarter. According to the company, Teslas using Autopilot in 2024 covered 5.94 million miles per accident, compared to the US average of just 0.70 million miles.

Meanwhile, Tesla recently gave a glimpse of its self-driving capabilities. Newly built vehicles at the Fremont Gigafactory drove themselves about 1.2 miles from the production line to their assigned loading dock lanes without any human intervention. Musk added on the call that this same automation will be happening “soon” at GigaTexas as well.

Featured image: Tesla

About ReadWrite’s Editorial Process

The ReadWrite Editorial policy involves closely monitoring the tech, gambling and blockchain industries for major developments, new product and brand launches, AI breakthroughs, game releases and other newsworthy events. Editors assign relevant stories to in-house staff writers with expertise in each particular topic area. Before publication, articles go through a rigorous round of editing for accuracy, clarity, and to ensure adherence to ReadWrite's style guidelines.

Suswati Basu
Tech journalist

Suswati Basu is a multilingual, award-winning editor and the founder of the intersectional literature channel, How To Be Books. She was shortlisted for the Guardian Mary Stott Prize and longlisted for the Guardian International Development Journalism Award. With 18 years of experience in the media industry, Suswati has held significant roles such as head of audience and deputy editor for NationalWorld news, digital editor for Channel 4 News and ITV News. She has also contributed to the Guardian and received training at the BBC As an audience, trends, and SEO specialist, she has participated in panel events alongside Google. Her…

Get the biggest tech headlines of the day delivered to your inbox

    By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe anytime.

    Tech News

    Explore the latest in tech with our Tech News. We cut through the noise for concise, relevant updates, keeping you informed about the rapidly evolving tech landscape with curated content that separates signal from noise.

    In-Depth Tech Stories

    Explore tech impact in In-Depth Stories. Narrative data journalism offers comprehensive analyses, revealing stories behind data. Understand industry trends for a deeper perspective on tech's intricate relationships with society.

    Expert Reviews

    Empower decisions with Expert Reviews, merging industry expertise and insightful analysis. Delve into tech intricacies, get the best deals, and stay ahead with our trustworthy guide to navigating the ever-changing tech market.