AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Elon Musk says Tesla is “tentatively” set to begin providing robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, on June 22.
In a post on his X social media platform, Musk said the date could change because Tesla is “being super paranoid about safety.”
Investors, Wall Street analysts and Tesla enthusiasts have been anticipating the rollout of the driverless cabs that the service would launch in Austin sometime in June.
Last month, at first and “geofenced” to certain areas of the city deemed the safest to navigate. He said he expected to initially run 10 or so taxis, increase that number rapidly and start offering the service in Los Angeles, San Antonio, San Francisco and other cities.
Musk has been promising fully autonomous, self-driving vehicles “next year” for a decade, but the pressure is on now as Tesla actually begins to operate a self-driving taxi service. due to increased competition, the retooling of its most popular car, the Model Y, and the fallout from Musk’s turn to politics.
The Austin rollout also comes after Musk had over the administration’s tax bill. Some analysts have expressed concern that Trump could retaliate by encouraging federal safety regulators to to step in at any sign of trouble for the robotaxis.
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