Tesla is now operating a fleet of robotaxis on highways in Austin, Texas, marking a significant expansion of its autonomous driving program. The move, observed by beta testers, represents a progression beyond the limited, low-speed city streets where the technology was previously tested, according to reports from September 2025.
While Tesla initially deployed robotaxis with safety drivers in the passenger seat, mirroring a setup used in the Bay Area, the company has since begun testing vehicles with no occupants at all. CEO Elon Musk confirmed the tests with unoccupied vehicles in December 2025, stating, “Slowly, then all at once,” hinting at a phased rollout of the service. Ashok Elluswamy, Tesla’s head of AI, marked the beginning of this phase with a simple statement: “And so it begins!”
The current highway testing involves unmarked test vehicles, distinct from the publicly branded robotaxis used in the invite-only beta program. These unbranded vehicles still include a safety driver positioned behind the wheel, suggesting a cautious approach to validating the software’s performance in more complex highway environments. This differs from the later stage of testing, where vehicles operated without any occupant.
The expansion to highways follows the opening of the Tesla Robotaxi service to all customers in Austin in September 2025. Prior to that, access was limited to hand-picked influencers and customers. The company subsequently removed a waitlist and broadened the service area to cover much of the greater Austin metropolitan area.
The rollout has not been without incident. Tesla’s test fleet has been involved in at least seven crashes since June 2025, though details remain scarce due to the company’s practice of redacting information in reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The removal of safety monitors has similarly drawn scrutiny, with observers anticipating increased oversight as Tesla moves toward offering rides in fully autonomous vehicles.
The introduction of robotaxis is also impacting Austin’s established taxi permit system. The city is grappling with how to regulate these novel autonomous services alongside traditional taxi operators and their existing permits, a situation described as a major shift in the local transportation landscape. The arrival of robotaxis raises questions about the future relevance and value of legacy taxi permits.
Tesla has not yet announced a timeline for offering customer rides without a safety monitor, but the company’s recent actions indicate a continued push toward full autonomy. The company is currently competing with Waymo, the Alphabet-owned autonomous driving company, with Musk claiming Tesla has a competitive advantage.
