Tesla’s long-awaited robotaxi dream may finally hit the road this month. CEO Elon Musk said on Tuesday that the company is “tentatively” set to begin offering public rides in its self-driving vehicles on June 22 – starting in Austin, Texas. The announcement, made via a post on X (formerly Twitter), marks a key moment in Tesla’s ambitious self-driving strategy. Musk has long staked Tesla’s future on autonomous vehicles, moving away from plans to build cheaper electric cars in favour of what he believes is the future of transport.

But it won’t be a full-speed launch just yet. Musk cautioned that the company is being “super paranoid about safety” and the rollout date could shift depending on final checks. The pilot service is expected to begin with 10–20 Model Y SUVs, running in a limited area under remote human supervision.

Musk also revealed that starting June 28, Tesla vehicles will begin driving themselves straight from the production line to customers’ homes – another first for the industry, if delivered as promised.

Tesla has been testing its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software on public streets in Austin. A recent video reposted by Musk showed a Model Y turning a corner autonomously, with the word “Robotaxi” displayed on its side.

Despite the excitement, very little is known about how Tesla’s service will actually work – where it will operate, what kind of human oversight will be involved, or how people can book a ride. A successful robotaxi debut could be vital for Tesla, especially as EV sales have slowed, competition has grown, and Musk’s polarising political affiliations have affected the company’s reputation in Europe.

“Austin >> LA for robotaxi launch lol,” Musk posted in a tongue-in-cheek jab at California’s tighter autonomous vehicle regulations. During the ongoing LA riots, Waymo self-driving cars were also set on fire last week.

Uber and Wayve set sight on London

Tesla’s move comes as ride-hailing giant Uber also looks across the Atlantic. The company has announced it will launch its first robotaxi trial in London in 2026, in partnership with British AI startup Wayve Technologies Ltd. Unlike Tesla’s bold, no-human-inside approach, Uber’s pilot will begin with drivers at the wheel – what the industry calls Level 4 autonomy. This is often used as a stepping stone to full automation. Uber said it expects to reach that fully autonomous milestone soon, although it hasn’t offered a specific timeline.

Uber’s timing is helped by new legislation in the UK. The Automated Vehicles Act, recently passed by Parliament, sets up a fast-track framework to get self-driving buses and taxis onto public roads. “The future of transport is arriving,” said UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander. “Self-driving cars could bring jobs, investment, and the opportunity for the UK to be among the world leaders in new technology.”

Waymo leads the way, but faces challenges

While Tesla and Uber are racing to enter the market, Waymo, owned by Alphabet (Google’s parent company), remains ahead in many ways. Its Waymo One service is already offering over 200,000 paid rides per week across San Francisco, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Austin. Waymo plans to expand to more cities in the US, including Atlanta, Miami, and Washington, DC, where it’s working with local policymakers to allow for fully driverless services – something not yet legal in the capital.

But being first doesn’t mean being flawless. The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently opened an investigation into Waymo, after 22 reports surfaced of unexpected behaviour and traffic safety violations. In the past year, Waymo has also had to recall over 1,000 vehicles following minor accidents and software errors. Still, the company maintains that its cars are significantly safer than human drivers, citing data from 50 million rider-only miles showing 81 per cent fewer injuries.

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