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Tesla is testing robotaxi service with employees in Texas, California. Tesla has officially launched supervised autonomous ride-hailing tria...
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| Tesla is testing robotaxi service with employees in Texas, California. |
The initial phase involves Tesla employees acting as passengers within specially equipped vehicles, which feature new in-cabin screens designed for ride management and feedback. Importantly, all test rides currently require a human safety operator behind the wheel, adhering to California’s permit conditions for autonomous vehicle trials under human supervision.
Tesla's Full Self-Driving system, despite its name, is classified as a Level 2 driver assistance technology by regulators, meaning that constant human oversight is mandatory. Nevertheless, recent updates — particularly with the release of FSD v12.3 — show significant improvements, with the system relying more on end-to-end AI models rather than manually coded behaviors.
Tesla aims to expand its internal robotaxi pilot throughout the summer, with a public unveiling event scheduled for August 8, 2024. The initial public service will likely begin with a limited fleet operating exclusively within the Austin metro area, before gradually scaling to other markets based on regulatory approvals and fleet performance data.
Unlike competitors such as Waymo and Cruise, which use purpose-built robotaxis, Tesla is currently leveraging its existing vehicle models like the Model 3 and Model Y. These cars are retrofitted with extra hardware to support autonomous operation and ride-hailing interfaces, while retaining manual controls for safety operators.
This supervised testing phase is a vital part of Tesla’s strategy to gather massive amounts of real-world driving data, refine its AI models, and meet the increasingly strict requirements of transportation regulators before offering unsupervised robotaxi rides at scale. If successful, Tesla’s approach could radically disrupt traditional rideshare services like Uber and Lyft, by offering fully electric, AI-driven transportation at a fraction of the current cost.
As the race toward autonomous ride-hailing intensifies, Tesla's progress will be closely watched by regulators, investors, and the public alike. With major milestones looming later this year, 2024 could be the year robotaxis finally transition from concept to reality.
