Tesla Begins Testing Autonomous Ride-Hail Service with Employees in Austin and the Bay Area
Tesla has recently kicked off testing its autonomous ride-hail service with employees in Austin and the Bay Area as part of the company’s preparations for the upcoming launch of its robotaxi service this summer. The company made the announcement on X, stating that the “FSD Supervised ride-hailing service is live for an early set of employees in Austin & San Francisco Bay Area.”
The term “FSD” stands for Full Self-Driving, which is Tesla’s advanced driver assistance system that enables some automated driving tasks. While the system requires the driver to maintain control of the vehicle by keeping their hands on the wheel, it is not yet capable of fully autonomous driving. Thousands of Tesla owners already utilize the supervised FSD for their daily commutes. The recent development focuses on the introduction of a “Robotaxi” app, which will allow non-Tesla owners to hail a vehicle from the autonomous fleet.
Before launching a commercial service, autonomous ride-hail companies commonly conduct trials with employees. Waymo, for instance, follows a similar strategy by initially offering the service to employees before opening it up to select members of the public.
Tesla has set its sights on launching a robotaxi service in Austin in June, as confirmed during its first-quarter earnings call. While specific details about the service, such as pricing and availability, were not disclosed during the call, CEO Elon Musk hinted at rolling out 10 to 20 vehicles on the first day of service in Austin.
Despite showcasing its Cybercab concept last year, a driverless robotaxi without traditional controls, Tesla is set to commence operations with its existing lineup of vehicles. A promotional video shared by Tesla features a Model 3 sedan equipped with a passenger screen displaying vital information such as ETA, climate controls, music options, and an emergency stop button.
It should be noted that a safety driver will be present in the vehicle to supervise and intervene as necessary, emphasizing that the FSD (Supervised) feature does not render the vehicle fully autonomous. Musk previously stated that Tesla’s Austin launch will rely on the forthcoming “unsupervised” version of FSD, eliminating the need for human drivers in the cars.
While the possibility of a completely autonomous service in Austin from day one remains uncertain, Tesla may opt for a cautious approach by retaining a safety driver in the front seat for added security. In California, where strict regulations govern autonomous vehicle operations, Tesla currently holds a permit for testing with a safety driver but not for unsupervised autonomous driving.
