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Tesla Robotaxi Lagging in Texas Race
30 May
Summary
- Tesla registered only 42 robotaxis in Texas by May 2026.
- Waymo and Uber partners Waymo, Avride, and Nuro have significantly more vehicles.
- Tesla's autonomous vehicle push faces investor scrutiny and regulatory hurdles.
Tesla's robotaxi service has seen a sluggish start in Texas, with the automaker registering a mere 42 vehicles by the end of May 2026. This number significantly trails behind competitors such as Waymo, which has 577 registered vehicles, and Uber partners Avride and Nuro, with 317 and 47 vehicles respectively. This slow deployment is happening even as Tesla ramps up its long-delayed Cybercab.
Texas recently enacted a law requiring autonomous vehicle operators to self-certify their vehicles meet Level 4 SAE standards, with enforcement beginning on Thursday. Tesla CEO Elon Musk had previously projected 500 robotaxis in Austin by the end of 2025, a target later reduced to 60. The company's autonomous vehicle expansion faces challenges not only from regulators but also from shareholders who claim they were misled about the vehicles' autonomy capabilities.
Concerns are amplified as Tesla's robotaxi fleet reportedly shrank between April and May 2026. Musk attributes the delay to upcoming safety improvements for supervised Full-Self Driving, anticipated later this year or in early 2027. Meanwhile, rivals continue to advance their services, despite occasional setbacks like Waymo's recent recall for issues related to flooded roads.
