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# Tesla Begins Robotaxi Services in Austin
- URL: https://www.theleftshift.com/tesla-begins-robotaxi-services-in-austin/
- Published: 2025-06-24T04:57:01.000Z
- Updated: 2025-06-24T04:57:01.000Z
- Description: Notably, each ride includes a Tesla employee in the passenger seat as a “safety monitor.”
- Author: The Left Shift Bureau
- Tags: Autonomous Vehicles, #a42

Tesla has quietly begun [offering](https://siliconangle.com/2025/06/23/tesla-launches-autonomous-taxi-service-austin-model-y-vehicles/?ref=theleftshift.com) 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.  
>  
> Parameters of Use:  
> • You must read through and agree to the attached Terms of Service,… [pic.twitter.com/RPy5TvUbBg](https://t.co/RPy5TvUbBg?ref=theleftshift.com)
> 
> — Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) [June 20, 2025](https://twitter.com/SawyerMerritt/status/1935944672293052530?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=theleftshift.com)

Notably, each ride includes a Tesla employee in the passenger seat as a “safety monitor.” 

Unlike competitors like [Waymo](https://www.theleftshift.com/waymo-to-begin-testing-robotaxis-in-new-york-with-human-drivers-onboard/), 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](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-06-23/tesla-robotaxi-videos-show-speeding-driving-into-wrong-lane?ref=theleftshift.com) 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.