Elon Musk: Tesla Robotaxis to Arrive in Austin in June

Elon Musk has confirmed that Tesla Robotaxis will be hitting the roads in Austin, Texas by early June. While initial testing will involve Tesla’s own fleet of vehicles, regular customers will likely be able to add their cars to the self-driving fleet next year.

In a recent earnings call, Musk revealed that Tesla will launch its paid, fully autonomous self-driving (FSD) service in Austin by June.

Musk stated, "We will be launching unsupervised full self-driving in Austin as a paid service this June."

He further emphasized, "This isn’t some distant, fictional situation. It’s literally five months away." He added, "We want to be cautious... dip our toes in the water, ensure everything is working, and gradually move forward. The safety of the public and passengers will always be our top priority."

Testing Underway

Musk also mentioned that thousands of Teslas are currently being tested at the company’s Fremont, California factory. Earlier this week, Tesla shared a video of some vehicles autonomously navigating a designated loading dock.

Previous Plans and Delays

Last fall, Tesla showcased its CyberCab and RoboVan robotaxis concepts. At that time, Musk said Tesla would begin unsupervised FSD for its Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in Texas and California by 2025. However, CyberCab and RoboVan production isn’t expected to begin until 2026 or 2027.

Musk expressed confidence, saying, "I’m confident we will launch unsupervised FSD in California this year, followed by several other U.S. regions by the end of the year." However, as noted by Electrek, Tesla has made similar promises for nearly a decade, and Musk himself acknowledged this.

"I’ve said these things before," he admitted. "I know people have said, 'Well, Elon is the boy who cried wolf.' But I’m telling you, the wolf is here, and you can drive it. In fact, it can drive you. It’s a self-driving wolf."

Expansion to Customer Vehicles

When asked if the Austin robotaxi service would use Tesla-owned vehicles or allow Tesla owners to rent their cars out to the service, Musk clarified, "We’ll first test with our own fleet." He anticipates that by the end of the year, Tesla will begin unsupervised activities in several cities using its internal fleet.

However, by next year, Tesla plans to include privately owned EVs in the service. Musk likened it to Airbnb, where you can list or de-list your home or guest room. "In the future, you’ll be able to rent out your Tesla at the right time," he explained. "This will likely happen next year as we want to ensure all issues are addressed."

Safety Concerns and Challenges

Competitor robotaxi services have faced significant safety challenges. For example, GM’s Cruise had its funding pulled, effectively halting its service. Musk mentioned that Tesla is aiming for a safety level far above that of the average human driver, especially given that self-driving cars are under intense scrutiny.

“The safety standard has to be very high because when an autonomous car gets into an accident, it immediately makes headlines worldwide. Meanwhile, nearly 40,000 people die in car accidents in the U.S. every year, and most of these incidents barely get any media coverage," Musk pointed out. "But if a self-driving car even scrapes a shin, it’s front-page news."

Competitors and Expansion Plans

Waymo is already running commercial robotaxi services in Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, and plans to expand into Atlanta, Austin, and Miami, with tests scheduled for 10 other locations this year.