The promise, nearly a decade old, finally took shape in Austin, Texas. This Sunday, June 22, Tesla's first robotaxis officially began roaming the city. A major event for Elon Musk and his investors, but a launch that, upon closer inspection, looks more like a dress rehearsal under very high security than the announced revolution.
The grand launch, or the reality of a debut under high surveillance
Because while the cars do indeed drive without anyone behind the wheel, they are not left to their own devices. Far from the vision of "unsupervised" autonomy repeatedly promised by the billionaire, each trip is made in the presence of a "safety supervisor" employed by Tesla, seated in the front passenger seat. Their mission is to intervene via an emergency button in the event of a problem. A reassuring presence, certainly, but one that reminds us that the technology, although functional, is not yet considered infallible.
For now, the experience is reserved for a select few, mainly influencers and personalities close to the brand, invited to test the service. A great move for the "pro-Tesla" crowd, while the general public will have to wait. The playing field is also carefully marked out with a geographical area limited to the south of Austin, which deliberately avoids airports, highways, and intersections deemed too complex. The service, billed at the symbolic and provocative price of $4.20, only operates from 6 a.m. to midnight and is interrupted in the event of bad weather.
So, what does a trip into the future look like according to Tesla?
Early feedback describes an overall "smooth," "normal," and "excellent" experience. The app, deemed "similar to Uber," allows passengers to hail their vehicle. Once on board, after an identity check conducted by the supervisor, the rear screen invites passengers to buckle up. Interestingly, the system synchronizes music apps with the user's Tesla profile, providing a personalized sound ambiance. The car then moves smoothly, at a speed rarely exceeding 65 km/h, handling U-turns and speed bumps with ease.
Yet this precise choreography is supported by invisible, but very present, machinery. In addition to the onboard supervisor, follow-up cars have been spotted, and a team of remote operators monitors the journeys live, ready to take over in case of a problem. This has already happened, according to a tester who managed to "crash the system."
This launch, however cautious, is a crucial bet for Tesla. The company is betting part of its future on its ability to transform its cars into a fleet of profitable autonomous taxis. But the road is still long, and competition is fierce. In Austin itself, Waymo (a Google subsidiary) already operates a much more extensive service, with a fleet of more than 1,500 vehicles across the United States, and without a supervisor on board for its public trips.
Elon Musk, true to form, is already thinking big and is already talking about a thousand robotaxis "within a few months," as well as the arrival of the Cybercab, this futuristic vehicle without steering wheels or pedals, by 2026. These promises are now colliding with the reality principle of a nascent service, functional but still far from being totally autonomous. The real test, that of scaling and safety without a safety net, is only just beginning.
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