Tesla (TSLA, Financial) is racing against time to launch its first Robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, as promised by Elon Musk. However, the company has not yet started the crucial phase of testing without human safety drivers. This step is essential before offering a pilot service to customers. Since last fall, Tesla has been training Model Y vehicles in Austin, with employees testing a supervised Robotaxi service. The timeline for beginning unmanned testing remains uncertain.
The Robotaxi service is critical for Tesla's future, initially using existing Tesla vehicles and later transitioning to a dedicated Cybercab. In contrast, Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet, already operates commercial Robotaxi services in several U.S. cities using a different training and operational approach. Waymo spends years developing detailed maps with sensor data and conducts extensive testing with and without safety drivers.
Tesla's reliance on camera-based systems, unlike Waymo's use of lidar and radar, has sparked safety concerns. Critics argue Tesla's approach is prone to errors. Despite these challenges, Musk plans to launch with a limited number of Model Y vehicles, supervised remotely via VR. Observers expect these vehicles to operate in restricted city areas.
