Elon Musk confirms Tesla's robotaxi debut with a fleet of 10 vehicles in Austin

On May 20, 2025, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced the company's plan to introduce robotaxis on the streets of Austin, Texas next month. The initial rollout will feature approximately 10 vehicles, specifically Model Y units equipped with a new version of full self-driving technology labeled as FSD Unsupervised. This move is part of Tesla's broader strategy to expand its service to other major cities, such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, should the initial launch prove successful and incident-free. Musk emphasized that while the vehicles will not have human drivers inside, they will be closely monitored remotely by Tesla employees. The release signifies Tesla’s ambition to reimagine urban transportation through remote monitoring rather than traditional on-board supervision. However, concerns arise regarding the extent to which supervision will be necessary since earlier reports indicated Tesla test vehicles in Austin required interventions much more frequently than Musk's claimed rate of one every 10,000 miles. Critics note that this disparity may question the safety and reliability of the FSD. Furthermore, the announcement includes plans for a geofencing strategy in Austin, meaning that the cars will be restricted to certain areas, ensuring control over the environment where they operate. This is in line with steps taken by competing companies like Waymo, which currently operates commercial driverless ride-hailing services in various U.S. markets, highlighting the competitive landscape Tesla is entering. Musk's assertion that Tesla's approach to achieving self-driving capabilities is more ambitious than others, particularly due to its reliance on a camera-based system instead of more costly lidar and radar technologies, underscores the innovative drive behind their strategies. However, the roadmap to fully autonomous vehicles without human oversight remains fraught with challenges and significant public scrutiny.