Tesla initiates paid robotaxi service in Austin
Tesla just kicked off its first paid Robotaxi pilot in Austin, Texas.
If you got an invite, you can now book a ride using their new app, with service running from 6am to midnight on Sunday, June 22, 2025.
For now, only about 20 Model Y cars are rolling—and it's all happening within a set area.
Fully autonomous rides with a safety monitor
These rides are fully autonomous and run on Tesla's camera-only system (no lidar or radar here).
There's still a safety monitor riding shotgun who'll step in if needed.
To keep things safe, trips avoid bad weather and tricky intersections, and riders have to be 18 or older.
Limited service for now
This is Tesla's first big move into paid robotaxi territory—a space where Waymo already gives 250,000 rides every week.
Tesla hopes its camera-only tech will keep things simple and affordable, but for now it's more limited than what competitors offer.