Are Tesla robotaxis operating without drivers in Austin?

Yes, Tesla has begun unsupervised robotaxi trips in Austin, Texas, starting with a few vehicles.

What is the difference between Tesla and Waymo robotaxis?

Waymo has driven over 100 million fully driverless miles, while Tesla's supervised Full Self-Driving is Level 2, with recent unsupervised trials beginning.

When will Tesla remove safety monitors from its robotaxis?

Tesla has started removing safety monitors for unsupervised trips in Austin, with plans to increase their ratio over time.

Home / Technology / Tesla Robotaxis Go Driverless in Austin

Tesla Robotaxis Go Driverless in Austin

23 Jan

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Summary

Tesla has begun unsupervised robotaxi trips in Austin, Texas.
Safety monitors are being removed, a significant technological milestone.
Waymo leads with 100 million driverless miles, Tesla's progress is debated.

Tesla has begun offering unsupervised robotaxi trips in Austin, Texas, a milestone confirmed by recent video evidence and reposted by Elon Musk. This move signifies a shift as the company starts to remove safety monitors, a fallback previously considered essential due to safety concerns.

Ashok Elluswamy, Tesla's VP for autonomy, clarified that this is a gradual rollout, starting with a few unsupervised vehicles integrated into the existing fleet. While Tesla claims this reflects confidence in its technology, critics remain skeptical, pointing to reported accidents and questioning the actual capabilities of their system.

This development positions Tesla against competitors like Waymo, which has a more extensive history with fully driverless operations and has accumulated over 100 million miles. Tesla's own Full Self-Driving system, still classified as Level 2, has seen billions of miles driven under supervision, a stark contrast to Waymo's fully autonomous achievements and expansion plans.