Overview
- Elon Musk confirmed on X that testing is underway with no occupants in the cars after videos showed a Model Y driving through Austin without a driver or passenger.
- At least two separate Model Y test vehicles were filmed operating on public roads with empty front seats, marking the first unsupervised sightings in the city.
- Independent tracker Ethan McKenna reports about 31 active Tesla robotaxis in Austin, reflecting a small pilot compared with larger commercial programs.
- Recent updates include FSD v14 builds and a Robotaxi app release adding Cabin Camera Analytics and Sound Detection Analytics for remote oversight and passenger support.
- Tesla’s pilot has logged multiple crash reports to NHTSA, and the company has not published comprehensive safety data, while rival Waymo reports roughly 450,000 weekly driverless rides across several U.S. cities.