Tesla officially kicked off its highly anticipated robotaxi service in Austin on Sunday, June 22, marking a major milestone in the company’s push toward autonomous urban mobility. However, the launch came with significant limitations, raising questions about how close Tesla truly is to a driverless future.

Despite previous promises by Tesla CEO Elon Musk that the service would be fully autonomous, the current version still requires human oversight. Each robotaxi ride includes a “safety monitor”—a Tesla employee seated in the front passenger seat who can intervene in the event of a system failure or dangerous situation. The vehicles are also supported by remote drivers and, at times, escorted by additional staff.

Unlike other companies that deploy human supervisors only during the testing phase, Tesla’s approach blends commercial operation with safety monitoring, signaling that the service may still be in a transitional phase.

For now, the robotaxi service remains exclusive and invitation-only. Tesla has extended invitations primarily to hand-picked influencers and supporters of the brand, sparking criticism over the objectivity of early feedback. The company has not disclosed when, or if, the service will open to the broader public.

Tesla’s self-driving fleet currently consists of 10 to 20 modified Model Y vehicles. These vehicles operate only within a limited area of Austin that Tesla has heavily mapped. Operations are restricted to a specific timeframe—6 a.m. to midnight—and pause during adverse weather conditions. The vehicles also avoid highways, airports, and complicated intersections, which experts say are some of the most challenging scenarios for autonomous systems to handle.

The robotaxi program does not yet include the much-hyped Cybercab, Tesla’s next-generation autonomous vehicle concept unveiled last year. That vehicle isn’t expected to hit public roads until at least 2026.

While the rollout signals a step forward in Tesla’s long-term vision, critics say the company’s slow pace and reliance on human oversight contrast sharply with Musk’s bold claims about full autonomy. As competitors in the autonomous vehicle space—such as Waymo and Cruise—face their own growing pains, Tesla’s cautious approach in Austin may reflect both the promise and the persistent challenges of making robotaxis a real-world reality.

Source: Reuters