Demand is exploding and waiting times are getting longer in Austin, one of the two cities where the service is in place, along with San Francisco. In response, Tesla plans to double its fleet of robot taxis from next month, according to founder Elon Musk’s announcement on X. This significant increase confirms Austin’s central role in Tesla’s roll-out strategy, which aims to turn the city into a showcase for its autonomous technology launched last June.
A service still under development
The American billionaire claims that the fleet of robot taxis in Austin, Texas, should « roughly double in the next month ». He did not give a precise figure, but his statement confirms the strong pressure on the service since its launch. Many users report having to wait a long time for a ride, with some citing unavailability in the evenings or at peak times. These reports show that current capacity is no longer sufficient.
The service currently operates in two areas: Austin and the San Francisco Bay Area. Tesla presents its vehicles as robotaxis, but they still operate with a safety driver at the wheel. The authorities point out that Tesla cannot charge for an autonomous taxi service and that the current framework remains that of a VTC service using advanced driver assistance, but not legally recognised fully autonomous driving. This supervision remains essential until the software is deemed totally reliable in all situations. However, Tesla is promising rapid progress towards more complete autonomy. It says it wants to remove Safety Drivers from large areas of Austin by the end of the year, which would be a major turning point for Tesla.
A geographical and technological ambition
It also plans to extend the service to eight or ten major US metropolitan areas. Tesla has just obtained a licence to operate a VTC service in Arizona. This authorisation paves the way for an extension of the robotaxi beyond Texas and California. The company could test larger areas and different road environments in order to validate the robustness of its system. This new testing ground promises to be the first step in a wider national roll-out.
This ambition marks a turning point for Tesla, which has long been trying to fulfil its promise of making the robotaxi a core activity in its business model. The carmaker is also repositioning part of its technical resources towards improving its FSD (Full Self-Driving) software, which has become a strategic priority. Musk regularly describes autonomy as « the real edge » of Tesla’s future. If Tesla manages to accelerate at this rate, Austin could become the first full-scale laboratory for a truly operational autonomous service. But success will also depend on two key factors: the ability of the software to handle complex scenarios and the speed with which regulators grant the necessary authorisations. It remains to be seen whether technology and regulation will move fast enough to keep pace with this highly ambitious timetable.
