Overview

• Tesla released its Robotaxi app on Apple’s App Store with a public waitlist, with an Android version listed as coming in the future.
• The app shows availability in Austin and San Francisco, and its terms state a ride is considered autonomous only when no safety driver is in the driver’s seat.
• In Austin, Tesla expanded the service area from about 91 to 173 square miles, adding the airport and freeways, and said it increased the number of cars by roughly 50%.
• Safety operators in Austin now sit in the driver’s seat for trips that include highway segments, a change Tesla describes as a cautious first step for freeway operations.
• User video this week captured an Austin Robotaxi entering a freeway with a safety driver behind the wheel, and some analysts note the timing aligns with Texas SB 2807 taking effect.