Tesla Launches Fully Driverless Robotaxi Service in Austin

Tesla has officially launched its first fully driverless robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, allowing passengers to ride without any human chaperones in the front seat. This marks a pivotal moment in the company's long-running pursuit of fully autonomous ride-hailing.

The announcement was made on Thursday by Ashok Elluswamy, Tesla's vice president of AI software, confirming that a handful of robotaxis are now operating on public streets without safety monitors. The service represents a major escalation from previous trials, which always included human supervisors ready to intervene.

The new service is not a full-scale rollout but a carefully managed expansion. According to Elluswamy, the company is starting with a small number of unsupervised vehicles mixed in with the broader robotaxi fleet that still includes safety monitors. The ratio of fully driverless cars to supervised ones is expected to increase over time as the system proves its reliability.

This development follows a clear progression of Tesla's testing phases. The automaker first launched its robotaxi service in June 2025, but those initial rides were limited to a small group of investors and fans, all with human supervisors in the driver's seat. By December 2025, Tesla advanced to testing a few cars without monitors, though they were not yet permitted to carry passengers in the back seat.

The current phase now opens the second-row doors to the public, completing the transition from supervised testing to genuine autonomous passenger service. The company did not immediately respond to inquiries about pricing or broader availability.

Tesla's Austin launch does not exist in a vacuum. The move comes 10 months after Waymo, the self-driving startup owned by Google's parent company Alphabet, launched its own driverless competitor in the same city. This places Tesla in direct competition with an established player in the autonomous vehicle market.

The timing is also significant for Tesla's broader corporate ambitions. CEO Elon Musk has predicted that several AI-built technologies will launch this year, including nationwide robotaxi services, new self-driving vehicles, and humanoid robots. The Austin pilot serves as a critical test case for these larger goals.

"Robotaxi rides without any safety monitors are now publicly available in Austin."

The market reacted immediately to the news. Following Elluswamy's announcement, Tesla's stock price increased from $438.77 per share to just under $450, reflecting investor confidence in the company's autonomous vehicle progress.

The achievement represents a significant technical hurdle cleared by Tesla's autonomous driving system. The vehicles are now capable of navigating public roads, handling complex traffic scenarios, and transporting passengers without any human intervention—a goal that has been years in the making for the company.

While the source material does not detail the specific technical specifications, the progression from supervised rides to fully driverless passenger service indicates a substantial improvement in the system's reliability and safety protocols. The ability to operate without a safety monitor represents the highest level of autonomous driving capability currently available to the public.

The service is currently limited to a handful of vehicles in Austin, suggesting Tesla is prioritizing safety and controlled testing over rapid expansion. This measured approach allows the company to gather real-world data and refine the system before scaling to a larger fleet.

The robotaxi launch occurs during what Elon Musk has called a major year for Tesla. Beyond autonomous vehicles, the company is pursuing multiple AI-driven initiatives that could reshape its business model. The successful deployment of driverless taxis could pave the way for broader adoption of Tesla's autonomous technology across other cities.

Investors and industry observers will be watching closely for updates during Tesla's upcoming earnings call next Wednesday. The call is expected to include detailed information about the company's self-driving programs and potentially shed light on the timeline for expanding the robotaxi service beyond Austin.

The move also highlights the evolving regulatory landscape for autonomous vehicles. As companies like Tesla and Waymo continue to deploy driverless services, questions about safety standards, insurance liability, and public acceptance remain at the forefront of the industry's development.

Tesla's fully driverless robotaxi service in Austin represents a significant milestone in the autonomous vehicle industry. The successful deployment of passenger-carrying vehicles without human monitors demonstrates the technology's maturity and potential for broader adoption.

As the company increases the ratio of unsupervised vehicles in its fleet, the Austin pilot will serve as a crucial test case for Tesla's autonomous ambitions. The data gathered from these rides will likely inform future expansions to other cities and the development of additional AI-driven technologies.

With competitors already operating in the same market and Tesla's stock responding positively to the news, the race for autonomous ride-hailing dominance has entered a new, more competitive phase. The coming months will reveal whether Tesla can scale this technology safely and efficiently to meet Musk's ambitious vision for nationwide robotaxi services.