Tesla's first driverless robotaxis to begin rides on June 22
What's the story
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced that the company's robotaxi service will be "tentatively" launched in Austin, Texas, on June 22. The date isn't confirmed as Musk said they are "being super paranoid about safety." He also revealed plans for a driverless trip from the Tesla factory to a customer's house on his birthday, June 28.
Rollout details
Initial rollout will be limited to geofenced areas
The initial phase of the robotaxi service will include 10-20 vehicles, all equipped with a new version of Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology. The Model Y will be used for these tests, not the futuristic CyberCab that Tesla aims to produce next year. The company plans to "geofence" the service, restricting where these Model Y robotaxis can operate initially.
Expansion strategy
Tesla hopes to expand robotaxi fleet rapidly
Tesla will remotely monitor its robotaxi fleet during the initial rollout. The company has also expressed hopes of rapidly expanding this fleet and extending the service to other cities such as Los Angeles, San Antonio, and San Francisco. This comes after Musk's public disagreement with President Donald Trump over the government's budget bill.
Safety issues
Activist group plans protest over safety concerns
Despite the excitement surrounding Tesla's robotaxi service, some are worried about automotive safety. The Dawn Project is planning a protest on June 12 in downtown Austin. They plan to highlight safety issues with Tesla's electric vehicles and driver assistance features currently marketed as Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (Supervised).