Overview
- An invite-only pilot launched on June 22 using 10–20 Model Y SUVs confined to a roughly 5.5-by-3.5 mile zone in Austin
- Each robotaxi carries a passenger-seat safety monitor with an “In Lane Stop” button to halt the vehicle in emergencies
- Influencer ride videos document instances of speeding over limits, wrong-lane entries, phantom braking and minor collisions
- The NHTSA opened a formal probe into the trial and Tesla faces a class-action lawsuit over alleged phantom braking in its Autopilot system
- Experts recommend adding radar or lidar sensors before any nationwide rollout planned for millions of robotaxis by end of 2025