Tesla (TSLA, Financial) has officially registered as an autonomous vehicle operator in Austin, Texas, ahead of its planned robotaxi service launch. This registration comes days before the anticipated June 12 launch date. Tesla shares have risen for three consecutive trading sessions, driven by the momentum of its robotaxi service and the easing of tensions between CEO Elon Musk and former President Donald Trump.
On the Austin Transportation and Public Works Department website, Tesla is listed alongside other autonomous vehicle operators such as Waymo, Zoox, and Motional. While the June 12 launch date has not been officially confirmed, the registration is seen as a positive indicator for the impending service launch. Tesla plans to start with a fleet of 10 to 20 robotaxis for unsupervised testing, with potential scale-up if successful.
In case of accidents or traffic issues, Tesla will employ remote operators for manual intervention, a safety measure that could slow fleet expansion. The recent reconciliation comments from Trump regarding Musk and Tesla have contributed to the stock’s recovery, following a dip due to their previous disagreements.
