Clubic
@ClubicTesla is testing its first robotaxis in a well-defined area in Austin. Videos posted online show trips without any major accidents, but also several mistakes that specialists were able to analyze in detail.
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Tesla Debuts Paid Robotaxi Trial in Austin, Faces U.S. Safety Scrutiny
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Tesla began charging passengers for fully driverless rides in Austin, Texas, on 22 June, rolling out a small fleet of about a dozen Model Y sport-utility vehicles. The invite-only pilot operates inside a tightly defined area of the city, with a Tesla employee acting as a safety monitor in the front passenger seat. Each trip costs a flat $4.20, marking the company’s first paid deployment of vehicles without anyone behind the wheel.
Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk has long touted robotaxis as a cornerstone of Tesla’s growth strategy. The Austin debut follows nearly a decade of promises and comes ahead of a new Texas law that will require state permits for autonomous services starting 1 September. A group of state lawmakers had urged Tesla to postpone the rollout until the rules take effect, but the company proceeded, saying it would avoid bad weather, complex intersections and under-18 riders during the trial.
Within 24 hours of launch, online videos showed the vehicles briefly drifting into the wrong lane, braking unexpectedly and exceeding posted speed limits. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it is reviewing the clips and has asked Tesla for additional information. The automaker told the agency that its responses are confidential business data and should not be released publicly. Federal regulators already have an open probe into crashes involving Tesla’s Full Self-Driving software, which underpins the new service.
Investors welcomed the milestone, sending Tesla shares up as much as 10 % on Monday. Analysts cautioned that the limited scale—roughly 10 cars versus the hundreds operated by Alphabet’s Waymo in other U.S. cities—highlights how much work remains before large-scale commercial deployment. Musk has said the fleet could grow to 1,000 vehicles within months, but any expansion will depend on safety performance, regulatory scrutiny and ongoing competition in the autonomous-ride market.
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