Overview

• Tesla launched its Robotaxi pilot on June 22 with 10–20 modified Model Y SUVs operating within a geofenced area in Austin, each carrying a human safety monitor and often followed by a support vehicle.
• The service is limited to invited users such as journalists and influencers, who pay a flat $4.20 fare through the Tesla app for rides on selected city streets.
• Early footage captured vehicles veering into oncoming lanes, making abrupt stops and exceeding local speed limits by significant margins.
• The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a safety investigation into the camera-only fleet and the separate Full Self-Driving beta program, while experts caution that the absence of Lidar and Radar may reduce system reliability.
• Tesla plans a quick expansion of its Robotaxi service beyond Austin and is building a 'Halo' Model Y with self-cleaning cameras and extra telecom modules to support scaling.