- Tesla launched its robotaxi service in Austin with vetted users and influencers only.
- The new service runs daily from 6 a.m. to midnight and charges a flat fee of $4.20.
- Early users access rides through a dedicated app and control features from the screen.
While some Democratic lawmakers urged Tesla to delay the rollout of its robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, the program officially kicked off on Sunday. It’s believed that around 12 Tesla Model Y robotaxis have hit the city streets and are operating in a small, geofenced area. And while the vehicles are indeed driving themselves, the company is keeping a light foot on the accelerator when it comes to public exposure.
Read: Tesla’s Robotaxi Launch Comes With Strict Rules And A ‘Safety Monitor’
Videos from early users, mostly influencers, reveal that each Robotaxi comes with a “safety driver” seated in the passenger seat. Yes, the passenger seat. It’s not entirely clear why Tesla made that choice, except maybe to reinforce the optics of a driverless experience…