Tesla is stepping up its game in the race for self-driving cars. For the first time, a driverless robotaxi has been spotted driving in the United States. This test marks a concrete step towards the official launch of the service in a few days.
For years, Tesla has promised to put fully autonomous cars on the road, without a driver on board. A first step appears to have been taken in the city of Austin, Texas, where a Model Y marked “Robotaxi” was seen driving, with no driver. This test comes just days before the announced launch of its autonomous taxi service. The video, shared on social media, shows a 2025 Model Y driving down an Austin street, with no driver visible. The clip was reposted by Tesla’s head of autonomy, which seems to confirm its authenticity. The service is expected to start with a small number of vehicles, each followed by a car with an operator on board, ready to take over if necessary. The system will only be activated in a limited area of the city, where the manufacturer is focusing its testing.
Tesla begins its robotaxi service with unmodified Model Ys and remote control
For this launch, Tesla is using standard Model Ys, identical to those delivered to the public, but equipped with special software not available in the current fleet. This advanced version of the FSD system (Full Self-Driving) is limited to a geographical area of Austin, in the United States, and relies on a teleoperation infrastructure. Operators can take over control remotely if necessary, which explains the presence of a second vehicle following each robotaxi tested. The group also plans to strengthen this system with new low-latency software tools.
This step marks a concrete turning point, but remains far from the robotaxi presented by Tesla in October 2024. At that time, Elon Musk unveiled a futuristic two-seater car, without a steering wheel or pedals, expected to be produced in 2026. While waiting for this model, the manufacturer is relying on the Model Y to begin its first real-life tests. The launch of the service is planned, in a “tentative” manner, for June 22. It will be limited to a few vehicles within a defined perimeter, with human supervision. No date has been given for an expansion to other cities or for general public use.
HOLY CRAP ITS A #ROBOTAXI!!@SawyerMerritt @WholeMarsBlog @DirtyTesLa @niccruzpatane pic.twitter.com/slfAsu0AQl
— Terrapin Terpene Col (@TerrapinTerpene) June 10, 2025
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