Tesla CEO Elon Musk has officially launched its robotaxi service, CyberCab, in Austin, Texas, marking the company’s entry into the burgeoning self-driving taxi industry. The new service offers invite-only robotaxi rides within a geofenced area of Austin, operated by a few Model Ys, with customers paying a flat fee of $4.20.
The move comes as Tesla eyes expansion to Los Angeles and San Francisco after Austin, with Musk predicting the robotaxi service will “move the financial needle in a significant way” for the company later this year. The initial rollout uses Model Ys, but a CyberCab sedan with no steering wheel or pedals is planned for production in 2026.
Waymo, another major player in the US robotaxi market, also debuted its autonomous ride-hailing service in Austin earlier this week. The company offers driverless rides in four cities and has over 1,500 vehicles on the road, with plans to expand to Atlanta and Washington D.C. next year.
Zoox, an Amazon-backed startup, has been testing its purpose-built robotaxis in several US cities, including Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. The company aims to launch its robotaxi service to the public later this year, targeting a broader market than Waymo’s invite-only model.
Source: https://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/musk-launches-tesla-ai-robotaxi-austin-flat-fees-under-5