Tesla, an American electric vehicle manufacturer, announced that it will begin pilot operations of its autonomous vehicle, the RoboTaxi, in Austin, Texas.
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account on the 22nd (local time) that 'the RoboTaxi service will start this afternoon in Austin.' He added that 'RoboTaxi passengers will pay a flat fare of $4.20.'
Musk noted on the 11th that 'he was considering a tentative plan to operate the RoboTaxi service starting on the 22nd,' stating that 'a careful approach to safety issues is necessary, so the exact date may change.'
The RoboTaxi service being showcased by Tesla in Austin will operate with about 10 Model Y vehicles and will be conducted for a select group of social media influencers. It is reported that operations will take place in limited areas considering the risk of accidents, and operators will be on standby for remote control.
If the pilot operation of the RoboTaxi in Austin is successful, Tesla plans to expand the service to other regions. Musk stated during a conference call on the 1st quarter results held in April that 'by the second half of next year, millions of Tesla vehicles will operate with full autonomy across the United States.'