Tesla robotaxi launches in Austin with safety monitor
Tesla launched its robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, utilizing driverless Model Y SUVs, marking a significant step in the company’s autonomous vehicle development, which relies on cameras and end-to-end artificial intelligence.
This deployment represents a key test for Tesla’s approach to fully autonomous vehicles, which diverges from other industry players like Waymo that incorporate additional sensor technologies beyond cameras. Reports on social media and local sources on Sunday confirmed the initiation of the service, with rides priced at a fixed rate of $4.20.
Tesla had distributed early-access invitations to pre-screened customers during the previous week, enabling them to download and operate a new robotaxi application to request rides. The specific number of recipients for these invitations remains undisclosed, though social media activity on X, the platform owned by Elon Musk, indicated that many invitations were extended to prominent online supporters of Tesla.
Tesla has given me permission to share the parameters of use for their Model Y Robotaxi service, starting this Sunday June 22nd in Austin, Texas. The Early Access phase is invitation-only.
Parameters of Use:
• You must read through and agree to the attached Terms of Service,… pic.twitter.com/RPy5TvUbBg
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) June 20, 2025
The invitations, in conjunction with a new robotaxi information page published on Tesla’s website on June 22, specify that the service will operate daily from 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. The service may experience limitations or become unavailable during inclement weather conditions. A notable operational detail is the presence of a Tesla employee positioned in the front passenger seat, designated as a “safety monitor.”
The robotaxi information page further outlines procedures for downloading the application, reporting lost items, and general rules for riders. However, it lacks the detailed specificities typically provided by companies such as Waymo, an Alphabet-owned autonomous vehicle entity that operates commercial robotaxi services in Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Austin.
Elon Musk indicated that the robotaxi service would commence on a small scale. The initial fleet comprises approximately 10 2025 Model Y SUVs, confined to a restricted operational zone within South Austin. This information aligns with observations made by Ed Niedermeyer, author of “Ludicrous, The Unvarnished Story of Tesla Motors,” who was present in Austin to monitor the robotaxi rollout. Niedermeyer identified what appeared to be a Tesla robotaxi depot, described as an unassuming parking lot with trees situated near Oltorf Street in South Austin. The day prior to the launch, he observed several driverless Model Y vehicles, each with an employee situated behind the steering wheel, entering and exiting this parking lot. Additionally, groups of other Tesla Model Y vehicles, many equipped with manufacturer plates, were also parked at this location.
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On the morning of the launch, Niedermeyer observed the branded Tesla Model Y robotaxis departing from the holding area, with the employee now positioned in the front passenger seat. He documented an instance where one of the branded robotaxis, which had not yet picked up a passenger, exhibited abrupt braking on two separate occasions, one of which occurred within an intersection. The reason for this vehicle behavior was not immediately evident. However, a video reviewed by TechCrunch and subsequently posted on YouTube indicated that both braking incidents occurred as the Tesla passed police vehicles that were located in parking lots adjacent to the roadway.
Prior to the launch, information regarding Tesla’s robotaxi initiative was disseminated intermittently by Musk through interviews and posts on X. Even after the launch, most available information concerning the robotaxi service has originated from the company’s prominent supporters. Tesla has actively sought to restrict the dissemination of information related to the service.
Specifically, Tesla attempted to block a public records request filed by TechCrunch with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). The company also endeavored to prevent the city of Austin from fulfilling a records request submitted by Reuters, according to reports from the news agency. Taylor White, Senior Counsel on Infrastructure for Tesla, articulated the company’s position in an April letter to the Texas Attorney General’s office, stating, “Tesla seeks to be as transparent as possible, however, as explained further below, some of the requested information cannot be released because it is confidential information, trade secrets, and/or business information exchanged with the TxDOT in conjunction with conducting business with TxDOT.”
A notable aspect of the rollout strategy involves the deployment of human “safety monitors.” The precise role and level of control possessed by these safety monitors remain undefined. It is not clear whether these employees are expected to intervene in situations where the software is poised to make an error. However, they may be equipped with a mechanism, potentially a kill switch, capable of stopping the vehicle in such occurrences. Historically, autonomous vehicle companies like Waymo and the former Cruise tested their self-driving technologies with a human safety operator situated behind the steering wheel and a second engineer in the front passenger seat. This operational model would typically transition to a single person in the passenger seat before eventually being removed entirely. This practice has traditionally been implemented during the testing phase, not during commercial operations.
Tesla is not employing the futuristic vehicles, referred to as Cybercabs, which were unveiled on October 10, 2024. Instead, the 2025 Tesla Model Y vehicles are equipped with a newly integrated, “unsupervised” iteration of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving software, as described by Musk. The in-cabin camera will not be active by default during rides. Tesla states that its use will be restricted to instances where a rider specifically requests support or in emergency situations.
The camera will be utilized following the conclusion of a ride to “confirm Robotaxi’s readiness for its next trip.” Tesla encourages early access riders to capture photographs and videos of their experiences. However, the company explicitly states that it “may suspend or terminate Robotaxi access” if riders violate its established rules, including the dissemination of content on social media platforms or similar mediums that depict a violation of these rules or misuse of the Robotaxi. This includes prohibitions against smoking, vaping, consuming alcohol, using illicit drugs, or engaging in criminal activity within the robotaxi.
Musk and other Tesla executives publicly acknowledged this milestone on X. Ashok Elluswamy, the head of Tesla’s self-driving team, posted a photograph of a “Robotaxi launch party” from an undisclosed location.
Robotaxi Launch party