Tesla extends robotaxi service into more Texan cities

Tesla is rolling out its robotaxis in Dallas and Houston, the electric vehicle (EV) maker said on Saturday, marking further expansion of its nascent service in the US since its Austin, Texas, launch last year.

Tesla’s official robotaxi account on X announced the launch and posted two videos showing its best-selling Model Y SUVs running in the two cities with no human driver or monitor in the front seats.

It posted two map images outlining service boundaries, but did not disclose further details such as fleet size or pricing.

“Try Tesla Robotaxi in Dallas & Houston!” CEO Elon Musk said reposting the X post.

Tesla’s move comes as the robotaxi business has regained momentum with Alphabet’s Waymo and Amazon’s Zoox speeding up expansion.

Expanding the robotaxi service and wider adoption of its full self-driving software, a version of which underpins the technology, is key to Tesla’s growth strategy as Musk has pivoted the company’s focus to artificial intelligence and robotics from EVs.

Much of the company’s $1.3-trillion (R21-trillion) valuation hinges on that bet.

Tesla first deployed a small group of self-driving taxis in an area of Austin with human safety monitors and other restrictions. The company has since widened the service area and started removing the monitors.

Last year, Tesla also started a ride-hailing service in the San Francisco Bay Area. Musk has promised to expand the robotaxi service rapidly in the US, but missed earlier predictions of its robotaxis operating widely in multiple US metro areas by the end of 2025.

Reuters