After years of delays and repeated promises, Elon Musk’s long-awaited Robotaxi service has officially launched in Austin, Texas. To maximise coverage, the first rides were reserved for social media influencers and digital creators, giving the debut a larger-than-life rollout. The service is currently operating in pilot mode with a small fleet of Model Y vehicles, limited to a geofenced area and available only to invited users.
Musk aims to eventually scale up to a million driverless vehicles on the road, though for now, each car includes a Tesla safety monitor in the passenger seat. While Tesla is making headlines with this launch, it’s not the first to enter the autonomous ride-hailing space, as Alphabet’s Waymo has been running self-driving taxis since 2018.
Musk turned to social media—no surprises about which platform he chose, X (former Twitter) and posted — “Super congratulations to the @Tesla_AI software & chip design teams on a successful @Robotaxi launch!! Culmination of a decade of hard work. Both the AI chip and software teams were built from scratch within Tesla.” There’s good news for those who are itching to take their first Robotaxi ride, as Musk has shared the ride fee, which is $4.20 flat.
What is Robotaxi?
A Robotaxi is a driverless cab service that is based on Model Y, which uses Tesla’s driver-assistance software is known as Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD). The technology used by Tesla is different from Waymo, as it uses cameras instead of radar sensors. This is a controversial decision taken by the company, as there are many crash reports, some even fatal. This is something that’s not happened with Waymo. Federal regulators have some doubts over Tesla’s camera technology, especially in fog like conditions.
How does Robotaxi work?
At present, the Robotaxi service operates with just 10 to 20 vehicles within designated zones. It remains invite-only and is not yet open to the general public. The service runs in select parts of Austin from 6 AM to midnight, steering clear of highways, airports, and adverse weather conditions.
When Tesla opens the Robotaxi service to the general public, booking a ride will begin by downloading the Robotaxi app and creating an account. Then, like any other cab-hailing service, one needs to enter the destination address, and once you confirm your ride, you’ll see the estimated fare and the expected arrival time of your vehicle. While your ride is en route, you can even update your destination directly from the app.
Once the Robotaxi arrives, verify the license plate number matches the one shown in the app. After confirming, open the door, buckle up, and tap ‘Start’ in the app to begin your journey.
Customise your ride by adjusting climate controls, seat positions, and streaming music all via the Robotaxi app and the vehicle’s touchscreen. Throughout your trip, you can monitor progress and request support if needed. Plus, you always have the option to ask the vehicle to pull over or stop for your safety and comfort.
After reaching your destination, exit the Robotaxi, securely close the doors, and share your feedback about the ride through the app.
