Tesla (TSLA, Financial) has initiated a pilot test for its autonomous taxi service, Robotaxi, in Austin, Texas. The initial phase includes a limited fleet of vehicles operating in select areas of the city. Each vehicle is supervised by a human "safety monitor" in the front passenger seat. Users can experience this service for a fixed fee of $4.2 per ride.
Details about the pilot phase remain limited, but participants indicate that the autonomous taxis are available from 6 AM to midnight in specific parts of the city. Adverse weather conditions may restrict or suspend the service. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, previously mentioned that the Robotaxi fleet would start with 10 to 20 vehicles, with a plan to expand to 1,000 vehicles within a few months. Eventually, Tesla aims to introduce a Cybercab version without pedals and a steering wheel.
