Tesla to begin Robotaxi rides in Austin from June 22, says CEO Elon Musk

Tesla’s robotaxi service is set for a soft launch in Austin with limited Model Y fleet, marking a pivotal test for its self-driving ambitions

Tesla is gearing up to launch its long-awaited robotaxi service on June 22, according to CEO Elon Musk, who confirmed the date in a post on X. The initial rollout will take place in Austin, Texas, with a fleet of around 10 to 20 self-driving Model Y SUVs operating in a restricted area under remote human supervision.

“We are being super paranoid about safety, so the date could shift,” Musk noted, suggesting that while the plan is in motion, it remains subject to change.

The announcement comes at a critical juncture for Tesla, as the electric vehicle pioneer faces slowing EV sales, intensifying global competition, and a reputational backlash linked to Musk’s political leanings and prior association with U.S. President Donald Trump.

A successful robotaxi debut could reaffirm investor confidence in Tesla’s pivot away from a cheaper EV platform and toward a future built on autonomous vehicle (AV) technology. Yet the road ahead is uncertain. Musk has long promised a self-driving revolution, but regulatory hurdles, public safety concerns, and the technical challenges of full autonomy have delayed those ambitions.

Tesla plans to extend its robotaxi operations to other U.S. states later in the year, including California, which enforces some of the strictest AV regulations in the country. Responding to a comment about the rollout, Musk quipped on X, “Austin >> LA for robotaxi launch lol.”

Earlier this week, Musk posted a video showing a Model Y making an unassisted turn at an intersection in Austin. The car bore a “Robotaxi” decal and was followed by another Model Y, both reportedly running a new version of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) software. Tesla has been testing its autonomous vehicles on public roads in Austin for some time, Musk said last month.

He also shared another key update: starting June 28, Tesla vehicles will be able to drive themselves from the end of the assembly line directly to a customer’s home.

Despite Musk’s enthusiasm, the company has revealed few details about how the robotaxi service will operate, how users can access it, or what level of remote monitoring will be in place. The pilot in Austin is expected to serve as both a proof of concept and a real-world stress test for Tesla’s autonomous tech stack.