Tesla has started testing a robotaxi service, but it’s only available to employees. These test rides use the company’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system. The program is running in two places: Austin, Texas, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Tesla hopes to launch a driverless version in Austin by June 2025. Experts and regulators still have safety concerns.
What the ride looks like
Employees can request a ride using Tesla’s internal system. Vehicles include the Model 3, and inside, screens let passengers adjust settings like music, temperature, or press a button to stop the ride in an emergency.
The cars run on Full Self-Driving (Supervised), so there’s always a person behind the wheel who can take over.
Tesla has already logged over 1,500 trips, covering more than 15,000 miles. The company is working on an app that will be part of the main Tesla app, letting users request rides when the service becomes public.
The testing is focused on two areas: Austin and the Bay Area. Tesla chose them to see how the system performs in different driving environments, including traffic conditions, road types, and public responses.
Plans for next year
Tesla wants to launch a fully driverless robotaxi service in Austin by June 2025. The goal is to start with 10 to 20 vehicles. Elon Musk said,
“We’re confident in being able to do an initial launch of unsupervised, no one in the car, full self-driving in Austin in June.”
But getting to that point won’t be simple. In California, rules for self-driving cars are much stricter. Tesla has a Transportation Charter-Party Carrier Permit starting November 2024, but more permissions are needed to carry passengers without a driver.
Some experts doubt Tesla will be ready for full autonomy soon. Sam Abuelsamid, an analyst at Telemetry Insights, said,
“I don’t expect robotaxis to happen for Tesla for a long time. I don’t think their technology is going to be suitable for that until they make some fundamental changes.”
Unlike others like Waymo, Tesla doesn’t use lidar. Its system relies on cameras and neural networks, which some say may not offer the same reliability.
California has strong rules for autonomous vehicles. Companies like Waymo and Zoox have permits for driverless service while Cruise lost its license after an accident. Tesla’s current approval only covers testing with a human driver. In Austin, the rules are more relaxed, which is why Tesla plans to go public there first. But getting people to trust the system is another issue. Elon Musk has said since 2014 that full autonomy is near, but it hasn’t happened yet. NHTSA has pushed back on Tesla’s claims that their cars can drive themselves.
Tesla says its system learns from billions of miles of real-world data. The company believes its camera-based software will reach safe autonomy with more improvements. The employee-only pilot is a step toward that goal.
Tesla’s test is a small but important move toward self-driving cars. While there are questions about safety, tech readiness, and rules, The real test will come in 2025 when Tesla tries to launch a driverless ride service in Austin.
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