Tesla's long-awaited entry into the autonomous ride-hailing market is just days away, with CEO Elon Musk confirming the company's robotaxi service will tentatively launch in Austin, Texas on June 22, 2025.
The announcement, made by Musk on his social media account, clarifies previous reports that had suggested a June 12 launch date. Musk indicated that the first completely driverless Tesla will make a trip from the Austin factory to a customer's house on June 28 – his birthday. This timeline aligns with his earlier statements that Tesla would launch a limited robotaxi pilot in Austin sometime in June.
The initial rollout will be modest, with Tesla deploying only 10 to 20 Model Y vehicles equipped with an "unsupervised" version of the company's Full Self-Driving technology. Musk has stated that Tesla will "geofence" the service, limiting where the robotaxis can initially operate, and that employees will remotely monitor the fleet for safety. The vehicles will have a remote human observer at all times who can take over when needed.
While the initial phase will be limited to select users, the June 22 launch will make the service available to the public, allowing anyone to visit Austin and hail a Tesla robotaxi through the company's smartphone app. Following the Austin debut, Tesla plans to expand the service to other cities, with California likely to be the next market.
Tesla's approach differs significantly from competitors like Waymo, which has been methodically developing its autonomous technology for years. While Waymo has built an impressive safety record with over 56 million miles of robot driving, Tesla is betting on a vision-based system that relies primarily on cameras rather than the more expensive lidar and radar sensors used by competitors.
The Austin launch represents just the beginning of Tesla's autonomous ambitions. The company plans to introduce its dedicated Cybercab vehicle in Austin with full production expected by the end of 2026. The initial low-volume launch will involve around 1,000 cars per city to prove the concept, with rapid scaling to follow once validated.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been closely monitoring Tesla's robotaxi development, requesting details on how the company intends to ensure safety in various conditions. The agency has specifically asked how Tesla will handle reduced roadway visibility conditions such as sun glare, fog, airborne dust, rain, or snow, and what happens if poor visibility is encountered during a ride. Tesla's response to these safety concerns will be crucial as it works to establish trust in its autonomous technology.