Ilon Musk announced the launch of the Tesla robotaxi on June 22 in Austin
By ForGeeks The Tesla CEO has announced the tentative launch of the robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, for June 22. The project will begin using Tesla Model Y models, rather than a specially designed Cybercab.
The project will start using Tesla Model Y models, rather than a specially designed Cybercab.
The first rides will be driverless with the Model Y
Mask said in a June 11 post on social network X that the launch is scheduled for June 22, but may be postponed for safety reasons: «We are extremely paranoid about safety, so the date could change». That said, the first fully autonomous ride from a Tesla factory to a customer’s home is scheduled for June 28.
Musk also reposted a video of a Model Y traveling the streets of Austin without a driver. The footage shows the car stopping at an intersection on its own and turning to let pedestrians pass.
Musk also reposted a video of the Model Y driving on the streets of Austin without a driver.
Cybercab will not be used yet
Although Tesla unveiled a fully autonomous Cybercab robotaxi without steering wheel or pedals in October 2024, the service’s launch will be based on existing models. Musk at the time estimated the Cybercab would cost «under $30,000» and announced it would be in production by 2027. The transition to driverless autonomous driving is set to begin in 2025 in Texas and California based on the Model 3 and Model Y.
Start is limited in scope and coverage
Austin’s robotaxi service will launch in test mode — 10 to 20 vehicles will be traveling within a few square miles. This is due to both technical limitations and a desire to maximize safety at launch. According to Bloomberg, Austin’s choice is due to Texas’ loyalties to autonomous vehicles.
Before the Austin launch, Tesla was already conducting tests with company employees in the San Francisco Bay Area using cars with safety drivers. In May, Musk said tests of fully autonomous Model Ys without a driver in the cabin had begun in Austin — without incident.
If the launch goes ahead, Tesla will be among the companies already testing robotaxis in Austin: both Waymo, which has partnered with Uber, and Amazon-owned Zoox are working there.
The story Ilon Musk announces Tesla’s June 22 robotaxi launch in Austin was first published on ITZine.ru.
