Tesla, Inc. (TSLA.US) Robotaxi will debut in Austin and will compete with Waymo and Uber Technologies, Inc. (UBER.US) on the same stage.

Tesla, Inc. (TSLA.US) is set to launch its first autonomous Robotaxi service in Austin, Texas in June. The city is currently home to the company's headquarters and is seen as an ideal choice for Tesla, Inc. as autonomous vehicles only need to register and purchase insurance to operate on public roads in Texas, without the need for a special permit. Tesla, Inc.'s Robotaxi service will feature the use of the company's Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology to control the vehicles without human supervision. Initially, the fleet of Robotaxis will consist of Tesla, Inc.'s own vehicles, likely the Model 3 and Model Y. Passengers will be able to book autonomous rides through a mobile application, and the reserved Robotaxis will be able to park in designated areas for easy boarding. While closely monitoring safety issues, Tesla, Inc. plans to gradually expand this service in specific areas of Austin. As more Robotaxis are added to the fleet, the company will collaborate with Austin city officials and emergency responders. The Austin Transportation and Public Works Department stated in an email that they will work with Tesla, Inc. and other autonomous vehicle companies as they develop their plans to enter the market. The department has shared maps of school and school surrounding areas, details on traffic control for special events, and information on fire and police emergency service vehicles and procedures to facilitate the launch of the service. Looking ahead, if they receive the necessary regulatory approvals in a timely manner, Tesla, Inc. plans to expand nationwide in the United States by 2026. By then, the specially designed Cyber cab is expected to become the main vehicle model. Compared to other states, Texas has more relaxed regulations on autonomous vehicles. In 2025, the testing in Austin will be a key investment event to evaluate the safety and reliability of the fully autonomous driving system. Additionally, there will be a focus on service demand, insurance matters, and liability issues in case of accidents. Tesla, Inc. is not the only company planning to launch a Robotaxi service. Alphabet's Waymo One is already operating in Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, with Austin, Atlanta, and Miami as expansion targets. Amazon.com, Inc.'s Zoox, Lyft, Uber Technologies, Inc., Aurora Innovation, May Mobility, and Motional are also setting goals for autonomous taxi development in the United States through cooperation or upcoming plans. Globally, major players in the autonomous taxi industry include Baidu Inc.'s Apollo, Pony.ai, WeRide, XPeng, Inc., BYD Company Limited, and AutoX. Interestingly, according to Uber Technologies, Inc. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber Technologies, Inc. does not seem to be partnering with Tesla, Inc. in the early stages, as he mentioned having direct conversations with Elon Musk about this. Last week, he stated at an industry conference, "They want to build this on their own, so to some extent, when Tesla, Inc. launches services in Austin, we'll be competing with them alongside Waymo. But in the long run, who knows, maybe we'd be happy to work with them in the future."