Tesla Begins Robotaxi Services in Austin
Notably, each ride includes a Tesla employee in the passenger seat as a “safety monitor.”
Tesla has quietly begun offering driverless rides in its Model Y SUVs in Austin, marking its first real-world test of a robotaxi service built solely on cameras and end-to-end AI.
The service, teased for years by CEO Elon Musk, launched with a small fleet of 2025 Model Y vehicles operating in South Austin, charging $4.20 per ride.
Early-access invitations were sent to select Tesla users, who began using a new app to hail autonomous rides. The company has also published a robotaxi guide online, outlining ride rules and operating hours (6 a.m. to midnight), though the service may pause during bad weather.
Tesla has given me permission to share the parameters of use for their Model Y Robotaxi service, starting this Sunday June 22nd in Austin, Texas. The Early Access phase is invitation-only.
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) June 20, 2025
Parameters of Use:
• You must read through and agree to the attached Terms of Service,… pic.twitter.com/RPy5TvUbBg
Notably, each ride includes a Tesla employee in the passenger seat as a “safety monitor.”
Unlike competitors like Waymo, Tesla’s rollout offers limited details about routes and safety metrics.
Still, this represents a pivotal step for Musk’s long-delayed vision of autonomous, camera-only transport.
Interestingly, federal safety regulators in the U.S. have contacted Tesla just a day after the company launched its robotaxi service in Austin.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reached out following a wave of videos posted online that appear to show Tesla’s autonomous vehicles breaking traffic laws in South Austin.
