Tesla launches robotaxi service in Austin: Test phase with monitor

Autonomous Driving Tesla Launches Limited Robotaxi Service

2025-07-03 Source: dpa | Translated by AI 1 min Reading Time

Related Vendor

Tesla has launched its robotaxi service in part of downtown Austin. Only for selected individuals and still with a monitor in the passenger seat.

Tesla plans to begin production of its robotaxi vehicle "Cybercab" next year.(Image: Tesla Motors) — Tesla plans to begin production of its robotaxi vehicle "Cybercab" next year.
(Image: Tesla Motors)

Tesla has launched the robotaxi service long promised by company chief Elon Musk, initially on a small scale and with a chaperone in the passenger seat. In the city of Austin, Texas, Tesla-selected users have been able to book rides in some vehicles without a human driver via an app since Sunday. For this, the electric car manufacturer initially selected online influencers who are friendly to the company.

The offer is initially limited to a manageable part of downtown Austin. Musk had previously announced that ten to twenty vehicles would be available at the start. At the same time, he claims that most new Tesla cars already have all the necessary technology on board to operate autonomously. Therefore, he speaks of millions of self-driving Teslas on the roads and a market share of more than 90 percent in the robotaxi business for his company.

Doubts about Musk's Concept

However, experts and rivals have doubts about how reliably Teslas can drive autonomously, as Musk relies only on cameras and foregoes the more expensive laser radars that scan the surroundings. The current leading robotaxi provider by far, Waymo, also uses this technology. Waymo now makes more than 250,000 rides with passengers without a human driver with over 1,500 cars. However, Tesla would have a significant cost advantage if Musk's bet on cameras pays off.

Tesla is using Model Y vehicles in Austin. The production of a special robotaxi vehicle without a steering wheel and pedals is set to begin next year. Currently, an employee of the company sits in the passenger seat and can stop the vehicles if necessary. Passengers must check in with their apps, as some experience reports indicate. Many of the Tesla robotaxis are followed by an escort vehicle, and they can also be remotely controlled. Waymo operates completely autonomously in a much larger area of Austin.

Subscribe to the newsletter now

Don't Miss out on Our Best Content

Business E-mail

Please enter a valid mailadress.

By clicking on „Subscribe to Newsletter“ I agree to the processing and use of my data according to the consent form (please expand for details) and accept the Terms of Use. For more information, please see our Privacy Policy. The consent declaration relates, among other things, to the sending of editorial newsletters by email and to data matching for marketing purposes with selected advertising partners (e.g., LinkedIn, Google, Meta)

Date: 08.12.2025

Naturally, we always handle your personal data responsibly. Any personal data we receive from you is processed in accordance with applicable data protection legislation. For detailed information please see our privacy policy.

Consent to the use of data for promotional purposes

I hereby consent to Vogel Communications Group GmbH & Co. KG, Max-Planck-Str. 7-9, 97082 Würzburg including any affiliated companies according to §§ 15 et seq. AktG (hereafter: Vogel Communications Group) using my e-mail address to send editorial newsletters. A list of all affiliated companies can be found here

Newsletter content may include all products and services of any companies mentioned above, including for example specialist journals and books, events and fairs as well as event-related products and services, print and digital media offers and services such as additional (editorial) newsletters, raffles, lead campaigns, market research both online and offline, specialist webportals and e-learning offers. In case my personal telephone number has also been collected, it may be used for offers of aforementioned products, for services of the companies mentioned above, and market research purposes.

Additionally, my consent also includes the processing of my email address and telephone number for data matching for marketing purposes with select advertising partners such as LinkedIn, Google, and Meta. For this, Vogel Communications Group may transmit said data in hashed form to the advertising partners who then use said data to determine whether I am also a member of the mentioned advertising partner portals. Vogel Communications Group uses this feature for the purposes of re-targeting (up-selling, cross-selling, and customer loyalty), generating so-called look-alike audiences for acquisition of new customers, and as basis for exclusion for on-going advertising campaigns. Further information can be found in section “data matching for marketing purposes”.

In case I access protected data on Internet portals of Vogel Communications Group including any affiliated companies according to §§ 15 et seq. AktG, I need to provide further data in order to register for the access to such content. In return for this free access to editorial content, my data may be used in accordance with this consent for the purposes stated here. This does not apply to data matching for marketing purposes.

Right of revocation

I understand that I can revoke my consent at will. My revocation does not change the lawfulness of data processing that was conducted based on my consent leading up to my revocation. One option to declare my revocation is to use the contact form found at https://contact.vogel.de. In case I no longer wish to receive certain newsletters, I have subscribed to, I can also click on the unsubscribe link included at the end of a newsletter. Further information regarding my right of revocation and the implementation of it as well as the consequences of my revocation can be found in the data protection declaration, section editorial newsletter.