Tesla launched its Robotaxi—which isn’t the Robotaxi, but a Tesla with a Robotaxi logo—service in Texas. There are just a few, all operating in a small section of the city, and with “a human safety operator in the passenger seat”. LOL. So, just a taxi.
“As expected, only a handful of vehicles are available right now, they only operate in a small part of the city and there’s a safety driver in the vehicle in case it encounters situations it cannot handle autonomously.”
A real Robotaxi should have no glass windshield, and a blocking divider between the passenger area and the “driver”. After all, it is best not to see what’s coming your way. Surprise! 😅
Update: 26 Jun 2025 @ 07:48:16
My friend George, more often than not, can be the “voice of my conscience”, and today he was. Being the Tesla fan he is—and Tesla ≠ Elon—he made me aware that Tesla’s official statement was:
“We’re bringing these autonomous rides to you today—starting with Model Y. Cybercab, our fully autonomous vehicle, will begin offering rides in your area in the future.”
In other words, BBC sensationalised a bit, or I processed the news that way. It truly is a private beta, with an strict set of requirements.