Tesla intends to double its robotaxi fleet in Austin by December, less than six months after launching the autonomous ride-hailing service in the city, CEO Elon Musk said this week. However, as the automaker advances its deployment efforts, Travis County authorities are examining whether Tesla is fulfilling its commitments under a significant tax incentive agreement.
Musk announced on social media that the Austin fleet is expected to approximately double in size next month, indicating a swift expansion of Tesla’s autonomous service. The company risks losing millions of dollars in reimbursements should it fail to fulfill the obligations outlined in its Travis County tax agreement.
County authorities initiated the compliance review after Tesla failed to submit sufficient documentation to demonstrate its commitment. They declined to identify which aspects of the agreement might be non-compliant. Still, they stated that they are reviewing “multiple data points submitted in the compliance report,” according to county spokesperson Hector Nieto…