Jun 20, 2025 12:15:00

Tesla's robotaxi service could begin on a small scale for invited guests and employees, but state lawmakers ask for delay until new law goes into effect

Tesla's robotaxi, which is scheduled to soon launch in Austin, Texas, will initially be operated by invited guests and employees, and it is expected to be several months before the general public can enter service. A group of Texas lawmakers is calling for a delay in the launch of the service until a new law goes into effect on September 1, 2025.

Tesla's robotaxi ambitions face a reality check after launch

https://www.ft.com/content/2ad302c6-febe-448f-9980-17d116d9695a

Tesla is asked to delay Robotaxi launch in Austin by Texas lawmakers | Electrek
https://electrek.co/2025/06/18/tesla-asked-delay-robotaxi-launch-in-austin-texas-lawmakers/

Tesla's robotaxi debut will reportedly be limited to only 10 cars in very specific areas
https://www.engadget.com/transportation/teslas-robotaxi-debut-will-reportedly-be-limited-to-only-10-cars-in-very-specific-areas-205802818.html

Tesla will hold a large-scale event titled 'We, Robot' in October 2024 and announce the robot taxi 'Cybercab'. In June 2025, CEO Elon Musk posted a video of a robot taxi running on the road on X. The service will start on Sunday, June 22, 2025, tentatively, and it was revealed that once the robot taxi is completed at the factory, it will be able to travel autonomously to customers' homes on Saturday, June 28.

Video of Tesla's self-driving robot taxi running on the road becomes a hot topic, Elon Musk claims that it will carry passengers by June 2025 - GIGAZINE

However, the Financial Times and other sources have reported that Tesla's robotaxi business is expected to launch with around 10 vehicles, intended for employees and invited guests.

Musk has previously acknowledged that the rollout will be on a small scale, but it is expected that it will be at least a few months before the service is available to the general public. For the time being, the vehicle will avoid busy intersections in the city center. In the event of a problem, an operator will be able to remotely control the vehicle to reach the destination.

Seven Texas lawmakers have requested a delay to Tesla's robotaxi business, asking that it wait until the new law comes into effect on September 1, 2025. The lawmakers said they believe the request is 'in the best interest of both public safety and building public trust in Tesla's business.'

By the way, CEO Musk once boasted about the robot taxi business, saying, 'We will deploy a one million vehicle business by 2020,' but the plans have changed significantly since then.

CEO Elon Musk boasts that 'we will develop a robot taxi business with 1 million fully autonomous vehicles in 2020' - GIGAZINE

by mariordo59

News site Electrek pointed out that Tesla is struggling to make its robot taxis a reality, and the move by the group of lawmakers could help the company by giving it the excuse that it is postponing the launch to comply with requests, not because it is not ready.