Tesla’s Robotaxi debut will be reportedly limited to 10 cars in very specific areas

Tesla’s long-term launch of its Robotaxi service in Austin is scheduled for June 22, and it sounds like the company’s initial product will be the best fit at best. Financial Times Tesla has only about 10 cars available for rides, and the company plans to make them “avoid the city’s most challenging intersections”, wrote. If problems arise, remote operators will also be able to control the car, as well, to ensure they reach their final destination.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk told CNBC In May, the Robotaxi service may be launched in less than 12 cars, so that’s not necessarily surprising, but the actual range may be smaller. Analyst The New York Times Say to believe that Tesla’s Robotaxi’s rides can only be used by “company employees or invited guests”. It takes several months for the service to be able to provide services to the wider public.

Musk officially launched the company’s Robotaxi service and its self-driving Cybercab at an event in October 2024, but the idea is a promised feature for Tesla owners, even longer. The pitch shows that since all Teslas are equipped with the cameras needed for the company’s autonomous driving system, any of them can be converted to a cab when not in use. Musk believes that automatic transport may be so common that it becomes as cheap as mass transport while being safer than relying on human drivers.

Whether the company’s complete autonomous driving system can achieve this is an open question. Tesla is currently under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to carry out a crash related to autonomous driving. The company also reportedly prevented the city of Austin from handing over its Robotaxi Records, indicating that it is at least somewhat conscious of its performance.